An Exceptional Hardship Payment (EHP) may be awarded if you have exceptional financial circumstances which make it difficult for you to pay your Council Tax.
EHP’s are funded by the Council as such, in considering an award the Council must be satisfied that:
- It is reasonable to expect other Council Tax payers to meet the cost of reducing the tax.
- That your individual circumstances are exceptional and not applicable to all or a significant amount of Oldham residents.
EHPs are only intended as short-term assistance, will not normally be paid for a period exceeding 26 weeks, and should not be considered as a way of reducing your Council Tax indefinitely.
EHPs are not the same as discounts awarded under the Council’s Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTR). If you are on a low income you should first explore entitlement to CTR before making an application for EHP.
Making an Application
You will need to provide evidence of your situation, and your financial circumstances and be able to explain what you have done to try to resolve the problems you are experiencing.
The document below sets out the Council’s policy on the granting and administering of EHPs. You should read this prior to applying for an EHP.
If you believe you may be eligible for an EHP you can you can apply by completing the application form.