With the cost of living reaching an all time high, it is becoming essential to cut back in all areas of life. With energy bills about to soar, we are all looking for other costs that can be cut. Did you know there are certain discounts you can get on your council tax bill?You might be able to pay less council tax or even pay none at all depending on your circumstances. Read on to find out more. For any kind of money advice, speak to one of our advisors
Who Can Get A Council Tax Discount?
You might be able to get a council tax discount if you:
- are a single person or own an empty property
- have low income
- can’t get much CTR
Check If You Can Get A Discount On Your Council Tax
You might get a discount automatically on your council tax bill. If you’re not sure whether or not you’re already getting a discount, check your bill or contact the council. You can also find your council’s contact details on GOV.UK.
If you’re not automatically getting a discount, you might still be entitled to one. There are a few kinds of discounts you might qualify for.
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Single Person Discount
If you’re the only adult living in your home, you can get a 25% discount on your council tax bill.
When it comes to how many people live in a property, some people aren’t counted. These people are called ‘disregarded people’.
If everyone who lives in the property is disregarded there is still a council tax bill, but there will be a 50% discount. If everyone in your home is a student or severely mentally impaired, you won’t pay any council tax.
Discounts not claimed because someone has moved out, can still be claimed. Tell the council. You’re entitled to the discount from when the person moved out, even if you didn’t tell the council at the time.
Youngsters And Children
Someone will be disregarded for council tax if they are:
- Under 18
- aged 18 or 19 and someone claims Child Benefit for them
- aged 18 or 19 and were still in education on 30 April
If they are a school or college leaver aged 18 or 19 and they left after 30 April, they’ll be disregarded until 1 November.
People In Education Or Training
Someone will be disregarded if they’re:
- a full-time degree student or postgraduate student
- aged 19 or under and on a course before degree level – such as A levels or GNVQ level 3
- a student nurse
- a young person on a government training scheme
- following certain apprenticeship
- a Foreign Language Assistant on the official British Council programme
Someone might also be disregarded if they’re related to a student and not a British citizen themselves.
If they’re related to a student, they’ll only be disregarded if they:
- are the student’s spouse, civil partner or dependent
- can’t work or can’t claim benefits in the UK
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Temporarily away from home
Someone will be disregarded if they’re:
- a long-term hospital patient or care home resident
- living in a hostel which provides care or treatment because of their age, physical or mental disability, past or present alcohol or drug dependence or past or present mental illness
- staying in a hostel or night shelter
- a prisoner or someone in detention awaiting deportation or under mental health legislation
- living in a bail or probation hostel
PeopleWith Learning Disabilities Or Severe Mental Impairment
Someone will be disregarded for council tax if their condition is permanent such as if they have dementia. They will need a doctor’s certificate which needs to say when their condition started.
They must also be claiming one of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit with limited capability for work or work related activity
- Employment Support Allowance
- Attendance Allowance
- standard or enhanced rate of the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment
- middle or higher rate care component of Disability Living Allowance
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- the disability element in Working Tax Credit
- Incapacity Benefit
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- an increase in Disablement Pension for constant attendance
- Unemployability Supplement
- Constant Attendance Allowance paid from industrial injuries scheme
- unemployability allowance paid from War Pension Schemes
- Income Support including a disability premium due to incapacity for work
Ukrainian citizens
If you host people under the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme, they are disregarded for council tax.
Other Cases
Some other people might also be disregarded such as some live-in care workers. Your local authority will tell you if they’re disregarded.
Non-Disregarded Adults
You might be able to get a discount called a ‘second adult rebate’. The person you live with must be on a low income or getting certain benefits.
Second Properties
Your local council might give you a discount if you have another home you don’t live in – for example, if it’s not safe to live in or it’s connected to your main home.
Empty Properties
Your local council might offer a discount if a property empty for certain reasons – such as it needs work to make it safe to live in.
If your property is empty and has little to no furniture, the council might reduce your council tax. The council will tell you how long they’ll reduce your council tax for.
You’ll need to check your local council’s rules on their website.
Second homes or Holiday Homes
If you have a holiday home or second home, you must pay council tax on it. Some councils offer a ‘second home discount’ because no one lives there on a permanent basis. The discount might only be for a short time but could save you up to 50%. Contact the local council where the property is, and query this.
The council must give you a 50% discount if your second home is either:
- owned by someone who can’t live there because they have to live elsewhere in England, Wales or Scotland because of their job or their partner’s job
- a pitch with a caravan on it or a mooring occupied by a boat
Annexes
Local councils give a 50% discount on a second home within a main property. The annexe must be used by people who live in the main property or by their immediate family members, including parents and teenagers.
You won’t pay any council tax on the annexe if a dependant family member lives there. Your family member might be a dependent if they’re aged 65 or over, or they have a physical or mental disability.
If your annexe is empty, you don’t need to pay council tax on it.
For finance and money advice, speak to one of our advisors today. It’s free.
Disabilities
The council tax bill for the property might be reduced for people with disabilities
You must prove that the disabled person lives in the property and it must also have either:
- an extra kitchen or bathroom to meet the needs of a disabled person
- any other room (except a toilet) which is mainly used by a disabled person to meet their needs
- enough indoor space for a disabled person to use their wheelchair
If you or someone you live with is disabled, the council will charge you the rate for the next lowest council tax band.
Ask your local council if you can get a ‘disabled person’s reduction’. You can find your council’s contact details on GOV.UK.
If you have any questions about finance advice in general, speak to one of our online experts. We are always on hand to help!
