The local authority may award a Council Tax discount if a household or single person has made an application and meets the necessary criteria.
The full Council Tax bill assumes there are two adults living in a home. We can give:
• a 25% discount if only one adult lives in the property
• a 10% discount if the property is furnished, empty and nobody's main home
You may also get a discount if anyone who lives with you is included in the list below, providing this only leaves one other adult in the property.
List of Discounts
Discounts may be given for people who are:
In a single person occupancy
In hospital on a long-term basis and unlikely to return home
In a residential home, a nursing home or a hostel which provides a high level of care
Severely mentally ill or injured
Convicted and remand prisoners
Members of religious communities
• In short-stay hostels or night shelters
Care workers paid up to £36 per week
Children you get child benefit for (please see our section on students)
Foreign service staff
Student nurses
19 year olds still at full time school (please see our section on students)
Carers for an adult relative who is not their partner, but who receives certain types of benefit
Students (and their partners who are not British Citizens) (please see our section on students)
Apprentices earning less than £195 per week
YTT Trainees
How Much Will the Reduction Be?
We look at how many adults (over the age of 18) live in the property
Then we take away the number of adults living there who are included in the list above
If there is one adult left, you will get a 25% discount
If there are two or more adults left, you will not get a discount For example
Two parents who live with a 19-year-old son or daughter who is still at school will not get a discount
One parent who lives with a 19-year-old son or daughter who is still at school will get a 25% discount
An adult who lives on their own and does not fall within any of the above categories will get a 25% discount.
If your bill shows that we have given you a discount, you must tell us about any changes in your circumstances which could affect your discount. You may have to pay a fine if you don't do this.
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 contact us.
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.
To apply for Benefits fill in and return the Benefit Claim Form
See our Benefits section for more information
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. To claim for a discount or exemption for an empty property complete and return the Empty Property Form.
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. To claim for a discount complete and return the Empty Property Form.
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; for a maximum of twelve months.
• 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
Eligibility
None.
Required Customer Information
Must complete an application form and supply additional information where necessary links.
Apprentices
Single person discount
Carers
Long term hospital patients
Members of religious communities
People in residential homes
Prisoners
Students
YTT trainee
Severe Mental Impairment
Foreign Diplomats
People receiving care away from home
People in further education
Empty properties
Service Level Agreement and Turnaround
We aim to deal with you application within fourteen days but at peak times this may not be possible.
More information about this service
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