Coronavirus (COVID - 19) help & support for Walsall residents

As the impact of coronavirus is felt across the UK, you may have concerns about how it could affect you and your family. We are looking to proactively support residents to minimise the financial impact of the outbreak.

If the income in your household has been affected by the coronavirus, we have put support in place to help with a loss or reduction in earnings/income which may affect your ability to pay your household bills.

Household Support Fund

Councils across the country have been provided with funds under the Household Support Scheme to help vulnerable households with food and utilities.   

We have taken the decision to use this fund and provide households with extra financial support in the last two weeks of June 2022 to ensure no one goes hungry or without essential utilities. 

If you were in receipt of a council tax reduction on 1st May 2022 and had children included in your claim, we will make an award of £10 per child directly into your bank account. 

If we already have your bank details we will pay this automatically so you do not need to contact us.

If you rent your property

Help with your rent payments

Working-age residents will need to make a claim for universal credit unless you’re in an exempt group. You can find more information on our benefits page.

If you are a pensioner you may be eligible to claim Housing Benefit.

Make an online Housing Benefit application

Council tax reduction (CTR)

You may be able to claim CTR if you have a low income and your savings are not above £6,000 for working age people, and not above £16,000 for pensioners. There are questions on the form that ask how you have been impacted and we will use this information to see how else we can support you during this difficult time.

Make a claim for CTR online

Trouble paying your council tax bill?

The government has announced that there will be extra help for council tax payers due to the COVID-19 situation. We appreciate that many residents will be affected and we intend to help those who are most in need. 

If you are struggling making payments towards your account as a result of COVID-19, please contact us as there are a number of ways we can help you. We may need to understand your finances to offer the right support. We can:

• spread your instalments to March 2022
• make an arrangement that is affordable to you

For more information, if you are struggling to pay, see having trouble paying your council tax

Help with energy bills

Find out about grants and funding to help make your home warmer and reduce your bills.

Other housing and welfare assistance

We also have a housing and welfare service that can help with housing issues, food, gas, electric and other essentials. You can contact the team by email or by phone. For information on these services please visit the housing and welfare support service pages.