Council Tax Discounts
There are a number of Council Tax discounts or exemptions that are available. You will find more details of these below.
If you are on a low income you may be able to claim Council Tax Reduction. This is different from a discount or exemption. If you qualify for a Council Tax discount you can still apply for Council Tax Reduction.
Use our benefit calculator to see if you could claim Council Tax Reduction.
If you are currently in receipt of a discount or exemption and your circumstances change, you must tell the Council Tax team within 21 days of the change. If you don’t tell us, you may be liable for a penalty.
The Council Tax charge is based on two or more adults living in a property. If only one adult lives in a property and is using it as their main home, there is a 25% reduction off your Council Tax bill. For substantially unfurnished homes, long term empty homes and properties that are furnished but used as second homes, there is no discount.
If you don’t live alone you could still claim a discount if the other adults are not counted for Council Tax purposes when we calculate the bill, we would call this a “disregard discount”. Further information on disregard discounts can be found below.
If you think that you should be entitled to single person discount you can complete our online single person discount form
If your bill shows that a discount has been awarded, you must tell the Council of any change in circumstances that affects your entitlement.
Disabled relief is available to council taxpayers if their property contains a special feature, such as an extra room or bathroom, which is there for the needs of a disabled person that lives in their home, or where there is space to use a wheelchair indoors.
The reduction is equivalent to the property being put in the next lower council tax valuation band. If you think that you may be entitled to disabled relief reduction you should contact the Council Tax team.
Where child benefit remains payable for a time after a young person becomes 18 they will be disregarded for council tax purposes until entitlement to child benefit ends. If the young person is also a school or college leaver, the disregard may continue until the 1st November, in the year that they leave.
A student is a person (of any age) enrolled on a full-time course of further education at a prescribed educational establishment or a person under the age of 20 enrolled on certain qualifying courses defined in the Council Tax regulations. A full-time course must last for at least one academic year and require a minimum of 21 hours per week of study.
If you are studying for a qualification up to A level and you are under 20, your course must last at least 3 months and involve at least 12 hours of study per week.
A student nurse is a person following a course leading to registration under the Nurses, Midwives, and Health Visitors Act 1979.
An apprentice is someone, regardless of age, employed for the purpose of learning a trade or profession, who is paid less than £195 per week and is undertaking a training programme leading to an accredited qualification.
A YT trainee is a person aged under 25 who is undertaking an approved training scheme recognised by the Department of Work & Pensions (DWS)
If you think that you would qualify please complete our online Student Discount form
Providing care for a person living in the same household who receives certain specified state benefits but who is not a spouse or a dependant child of the carer. If you think that you would qualify please complete our online Carers Discount form
People who are temporarily resident in a hostel for the homeless.
A member of a religious community where the principal occupation is prayer, contemplation, education or the relief of suffering.
A person not a British Citizen, who is the spouse or dependant of a student and is not permitted to work or obtain benefits.
A Council Tax exemption could apply where a person has moved out of their home, leaving it unoccupied and is now living in a residential care home, nursing home, or hospital. This is called a class E Council Tax exemption. If you think that you would qualify for this exemption please complete our online Class E Exemption form
A person who is detained by order of a court, whether they are in prison, hospital or any other place. This does not include a person who is in police custody, until they are remanded in custody by a court.
Providing care through a connection with a local authority or a charity for at least 24 hours per week for pay of £44 a week or less and living at or near where the care is provided.
Permanent impairment of intelligence and social functioning (certified by a doctor) and in receipt of specified state benefits. If you think that you would qualify please complete our online Severe Mental Impairment form
A member or dependant of a member, of a visiting force from a nation included under the Visiting Forces Act 1952.
Second home and long-term empty property premiums
View further information relating to these premiums.