Council Tax - discounts

General discounts

• A 25% discount is available when only one person over the age of 18 has their sole or main home at the property.
• A 10% discount is available for properties that are regarded as being a second home (where the property is unoccupied but furnished and the owner lives elsewhere). In such cases 90% of the charge will be payable
• A 50% discount is available in some cases. This is usually where a property has to be left empty (but furnished) because the owner is required to live elsewhere as a condition of his employment or for example a serving member of the armed forces who has to leave his property empty whilst he must live in military accommodation elsewhere in the country.
• No discount is available for a property that does not have anyone living in it as their sole or main residence and which has been empty for a long time. This is usually after an exemption has been allowed, but the exemption has ended - see Council Tax - exemptions  for more details.
• Certain groups of people (disregarded people) will not be taken into account when assessing the number of adults living in the property. If you feel that someone living in your home meets one of the following criteria, please let us know via the contact us form.

Disregarded people for the purposes of Council Tax are those who are:

• in prison other than for non payment of Council Tax
• severely mentally impaired
• in receipt of Child Benefit
• students
• residents as a patient in a NHS Hospital for more than one year
• resident as a patient in a Nursing or Care Home
• employed as resident careworkers
• carers of people other than their spouse or children under the age of 18
• residents of hostels
• members of International Headquarters or Defence Organisations
• members of a religious community (for example monks or nuns)
• an 18 or 19 year old who is/was undertaking a course of education on April 30
• under 18 years old 

Application form for a Discount

Disabled persons relief

Where a property has one of the facilities listed below that is required for meeting the needs of a disabled person who has their sole or main residence at the property, the Council Taxpayer may be entitled to relief.

• A room, other than a bathroom or lavatory, which is predominately used by and required for meeting the needs of the disabled person; or
• A second bathroom or kitchen; or
• Sufficient floor space to permit the use of a wheelchair which is used indoors.

The amount of relief is equal to the difference between the Council Tax band the property is in and the Council Tax band of the property below it in the list.

For example if your property is in Band G, you will pay the charge applicable to Band F.

Disabled persons application form