Discounts
Council tax fact sheet
Sole occupier discount and other discounts
You may be entitled to a 25% discount off your council tax bill if you are the only person (aged 18 or over) living in a property.
How can you claim the discount?
You should phone the council tax office and tell them the date you became the only resident. You may need to send us proof of the new address of anyone who used to live with you. Or, you can write to us with the details. You can also apply for a sole occupier discount online.
What happens then?
If we are satisfied that you qualify for a discount, we will send you a new bill. We send review forms to check that discounts still apply.
What happens if someone else over 18 moves into the property?
Please contact us straight away as this may affect the discount.
What happens if you falsely claim the discount?
This is a criminal offence and you may have to go to court and be fined.
Other discounts
We work out council tax by assuming that at least two adults are living in the property. 50% of the council tax is for the property and 50% is for the people who live there. We do not count some people when we work out how many adults live in the property. This may allow you to receive a discount even if you do not live alone.
These are:
- full time students, student nurses, apprentices and youth training trainees;
- 18- and 19-year olds who are at, or who have just left, school or college;
- patients in hospital;
- people being looked after in care homes;
- people staying in certain hostels or night shelters;
- care workers working for low pay, usually for charities;
- people who care for someone with a disability who is not their husband or wife, partner or a child under 18;
- members of visiting forces and certain international institutions;
- foreign diplomats;
- members of religious communities (monks and nuns);
- people in detention; and
- the severely mentally impaired.
Students will need to get a council tax certificate from their place of study. If all members of the household fit these categories, they may be able to get a 50% discount.
Other 25% discounts
If there is only one person over 18 living in the property who gets counted, the person who pays the bill may be entitled to a discount of 25% (see above).
50% discount
- All people over 18 are not counted (see above)
Discount changes with effect from 1st April 2004
With effect from 1st April 2004 the council in accordance with legislation changed the level of discount granted for:
- second homes or furnished dwellings not anyone's sole or main residence - these previously attracted a 50% discount but from 1st April 2004 only attract a 10% discount
- unoccupied and substantially unfurnished dwellings - if not exempt these previously received a 50% discount but from 1st April 2004 no longer receive any discount.
