Council Tax Discounts

When we work out Council Tax bills, we assume that there are at least two adults living in the property. An adult is anyone who is 18 years old or over.

If there are fewer than two adults then you may qualify for a discount. The discounts are:

Single person discount
Unoccupied property discount
Disregard discount

It is important to note that your Council Tax bill does not increase if there are more than two adults.

How do I apply for a discount?

If you think you qualify for any of the following discounts please read and fill in an application form.

Council Tax Discount application form (PDF 177kb )
Apply online for Council Tax Discount

Do I qualify for single person discount?

If you live alone; or
If you are a single parent and all children are under 18 years old.
If no other adults live in your home; and
it is your main home,

then you qualify for single person discount.

How much single person discount will I get?

If you qualify, you will get 25% discount off your Council Tax bill.

If you already get Council Tax benefit, then your 25% discount will be taken off the full amount of your Council Tax, and your benefit entitlement will be worked out again, based on the reduced amount.

Do I qualify for unoccupied property discount?

If no adults live in the dwelling as their only or main home and it is substantially unfurnished, or
if it is used as a second or holiday home

then you will qualify for a discount.

Please note that you will get a six-month Council Tax exemption if your property is unfurnished, as long as there has been someone in occupation after any previous exemption.

How much discount will I get if my property has no adults in it?

If you qualify you will get six months, followed by the full charge for an unfurnished property. For a furnished property you will get 10% discount.

Do I qualify for discount disregard?

Count the number of adults in the property who normally live there. Do not include any people on the list below. If the final number is one or none then you may qualify.

The following people are disregarded, and so, do not have to pay Council Tax:

full-time students, student nurses, apprentices and youth training trainees;
patients who are permanently resident in hospital;
people who are permanently resident in a care home, nursing home, hospice, hostel, mental nursing home;
people who are severely mentally impaired;
people staying in certain hostels and night shelters;
monks and nuns;
18 and 19 year olds who are at, or who have just left school;
a person who is caring for a disabled adult who is not their spouse or partner;
convicted or remand prisoners except those in prison for not paying fines or Council Tax.

How much discount disregard will I get?

If you qualify, the level of discount depends on whether your 'final count' is one or none.

One - 25% discount;
None - 50% discount (see also Exempt Dwellings)

If I receive a discount disregard and I am the disregarded person, am I still liable for Council Tax?

If you are shown as the liable person, even though you may be disregarded, you will still be responsible for paying the bill.

There is one special case where the above does not apply. This is where the liable person (and all the other adults living in the dwelling) is disregarded because they are severely mentally impaired. In this case the dwelling may become exempt from Council Tax.