Council Tax Reductions
Reductions For a Disability
You can claim a special reduction if you have had to adapt your home for a disabled person. You can claim this reduction even if the disabled person is a child. If you qualify for this reduction, we will reduce your Council Tax by the amount of one band. If your property is in band A we will reduce it by one ninth of the charge for band D.
Unfortunately, we cannot grant a reduction just because someone is registered as disabled. We can only reduce your bill if the property is the only or main home of at least one disabled person and it has:
a room which is not a bathroom, kitchen or lavatory and which is mainly used by, and to meet the needs of, a disabled person living there; or
a second bathroom or kitchen which is used to meet the needs of a disabled person living there; or
enough floor space for a wheelchair to be used to meet the needs of a disabled person living there.
Please note:
For part of your home to count as being used to meet the needs of the disabled person, it must be essential or of great importance to coping with their disability.
For example:
Space for a wheelchair would not count if the wheelchair is not needed or used within the property.
If you feel that you or any member of your household may qualify for this reduction please complete an online application form or print out a form which can be returned in person or by post
Council Tax Benefit
You can claim Council Tax Benefit if you pay Council Tax and:
you have a low income (this is called main Council Tax Benefit) or
certain other adults who live with you have a low income (this is called Second Adult Rebate)
We may reduce your benefit if there are other adults living with you.
More information about Council Tax Benefit
What If the Property is Nobody's Main Home
• Unfurnished Properties
In most cases, unfurnished properties will not be charged Council Tax for six months from when anyone last lived in them or for six months from the date of building work being finished for new properties. If the property is still nobody's main home after six months the full charge is payable.
• Furnished Properties
We will give a 10% discount for furnished properties, for example second homes, as long as the property is nobody's main home. We will charge the full Council Tax when someone moves in.
Council Tax Exemptions
We do not charge Council Tax for certain types of property. If you believe your property falls into one of the exemptions below, please contact us
• Uninhabitable and unoccupied
• Unoccupied and unfurnished; made habitable less than six months ago
• Owned by a charity and last occupied by them less than six months ago
• Unoccupied and unfurnished for less than six months
• Unoccupied because the Council Tax payer is in prison
• Unoccupied because the Council Tax payer is now in a hospital or care home
• Unoccupied property which forms part of the estate of a person who has died
• Unoccupied for less than six months since probate was granted and ownership has not passed to the beneficiary
• Occupation is forbidden by law
• Unoccupied property being held available for a Minister of Religion
• Unoccupied because the Council Tax payer has moved elsewhere to provide care
• Unoccupied because the Council Tax payer is a student living elsewhere to study
• Unoccupied because the property has been repossessed
• Unoccupied property and the Council Tax payer is bankrupt
• Hall of residence for students
• All occupiers are full-time students - please see our section on students
• Property is now used wholly as a business
• Armed forces housing owned by the Government
• Housing for visiting forces staff
• Unoccupied caravan pitches and boat moorings
• All the occupiers are under 18 years old
• An unoccupied annex to a single property which cannot be let separately
• Everyone who lives there is severely mentally impaired (except care homes)
Occupied only by diplomats and their dependants
• Granny flat or annex occupied by a dependant relative
This document was last updated on 2008-04-25 16:12:20 published by the Revenues and Benefits team. Document Reference:LBE_128086
