Council Tax: Discounts and reductions (People)

Council Tax is based on 2 or more eligible adults living in the same home. 

Tell us about any other situation so that we can make sure you only pay the right amount of Council tax and no more. You may be able to receive a Council Tax discount. You may be able to receive a Council Tax discount, and this council tax reduction leaflet will help you find out if you are eligible to pay less Council Tax.

You cannot get a Council Tax discount just because you are having trouble paying it. If you are having difficulty paying Council Tax, you can talk to us to see if we can help.

You must tell us immediately of a change in your circumstances.  Failure to do so may result in a Council Tax Penalty being imposed. If you disagree with a penalty imposed on you, you may wish to discuss it with us first. Alternatively, you may appeal direct to the Valuation Tribunal Wales

If you are the only eligible adult living in a property, you may qualify for a 25% discount.  This may arise because of a death, separation, divorce or another adult simply moving out - or any other reason.

Apply for Council Tax discount for being the only adult living in a property here Citizen Access Revenues 

If you are a care leaver

A person who is between 18 and 25 years of age and is a category 3 young person as defined in the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014.

 Apply for a Care Leavers discount here Council Tax: Care Leavers Discount / Exemption Form

An adult who is a student, apprentice or trainee may not have to pay Council Tax. If that leaves only one eligible adult in the home, the remaining adult may be eligible for a 25% discount.

Students and student nurses

A student is defined as:

• A person who is enrolled in a full time course of education. The course must last for at least one year and the student must attend the course for at least 24 weeks of the year and study for at least 21 hours per week. 
• A person under the age of 20 who is on a course which lasts for at least 3 calendar months and who studies for at least 12 hours a week. The course must not be a course of higher education. Evening classes and correspondence classes do not qualify

Apprentices

To qualify, an apprentice must be undertaking a programme of training.  The programme must lead to a qualification accredited by the National Assembly for Wales or the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. The salary and/or allowance received must in total be £195 or less per week.

Youth Trainee/Choice Trainee

Disregards are awarded to persons under the age of 25 who are a youth training trainee and who are undertaking training through arrangements made under the Employment and Training Act 1973.

Application Forms

Tell us when an adult in your home has become a student Citizen Access Revenues

Tell us when an adult in your home has become an apprentice or trainee Council Tax: Discount Disregards Enquiry Form

Tell us if only one adult remains living in the home in Powys Citizen Access Revenues

Tell us if your property is left unoccupied Discounts and exemptions on properties

If an adult has moved out of your house to stay in a hospital, residential care home or nursing home permanently, they will not be eligible to pay Council Tax.

Tell us when an adult is permanently in hospital or care here Council Tax: Discount Disregards Enquiry Form

If the property is left permanently unoccupied, you should

Tell us the property is unoccupied here Claiming an Exemption

If you have a young person living at home who turns 18, they are liable to pay Council Tax.  If they are students or if you continue to receive child benefit for them, then they will not be liable for Council Tax.

Tell us when a young adult turns 18 here Someone in your home turns 18

If you receive Housing Benefit, you can claim help towards Council Tax (Reduction), Free School Meals and School Clothing Grants all at the same time.

Apply for housing benefit here Housing Benefits

You may not have to pay full Council tax if you or someone else (of any age) in your home has a disability. Adults who have a severe mental impairment may not have to pay Council Tax.

Disability 

A disabled person is someone who is substantially and permanently disabled whether by illness, injury, congenital deformity or otherwise. In order to qualify for disabled relief, you must live in the property but do not have to be over the age of 18.

If you qualify for help under this scheme your Council Tax bill will be reduced by one property band.

For example, if your property is in Band D your tax bill will be based on Band C. If the property is in Band A, you will be given a reduction of one-ninth of the Band D charge.

If your property has already been placed in a lower band, this will be shown on your bill.

A Visiting Officer may need to inspect the property before a reduction can be granted.

In order to qualify there must be:

• A room other than a bathroom or kitchen which is used by and required for meeting the needs of a disabled person.

The room does not need to have been specially built or added, but your home will not qualify for a reduction unless the 'essential or of major importance' requirement is met.

Simply rearranging rooms - e.g., having a bedroom on the ground floor rather than the first floor - may not make your home eligible for a reduction.

• An extra bathroom or kitchen which is used by and required for meeting the needs of a disabled person;

The room does not need to have been specially built or added, but your home will not qualify for a reduction unless the 'essential or of major importance' requirement is met.

Simply rearranging rooms - e.g., having a bedroom on the ground floor rather than the first floor - may not make your home eligible for a reduction.

• Enough floor space to allow the use of a wheelchair which is required for meeting the needs of a disabled person.

Severe Mental Impairment 

This is defined as 'severe impairment of intelligence and social functioning (however caused) that appears to be permanent'.  A medical practitioner must certify this.  The person must also be entitled to one of the following benefits: 

• Incapacity Benefit 
• Attendance Allowance 
• Severe Disablement Allowance 
• Disability Living Allowance (higher or middle rate care component)
• An increase in the rate disablement pension (where constant attendance is needed)
• Disability Working Allowance
• Income support (which includes a disability premium)
• Employability Supplement or Allowance
• Constant Attendance Allowance
• Standard or enhanced rate of the daily living component of personal independence payment
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Universal Credit (in circumstances where a person has limited capability for work and/or work related activity)

Enquiry Forms

Ask about a Council Tax Disabled Reduction via the Money Advice Team Request Money Advice or Macmillan Support

Apply for a reduction if you are severely mentally impaired or you have someone living with you that is Citizen Access Revenues

If you care for someone and live with them, you may not have to pay Council Tax.

Carers

A carer may not have to pay Council Tax if they:

• live in the same property as the person that they are caring for,
• provide care for at least 35 hours per week,
• are not providing care for a spouse or a child under the age 18.

The person being cared for must be entitled to one of the following state benefits:

• An attendance allowance
• The highest or middle rate of the care component of a disability living allowance
• The appropriately increased rate of disablement pension
• An increase in a constant attendance allowance
• The standard or enhanced rate of the daily living component of personal independence payment
• Armed forces independence payment under the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces.

Care workers

A care worker may not have to pay Council Tax if they are employed for at least 24 hours per week but their earnings do not exceed £44 per week. They must also be living in the same property as the person they are caring for or living in a property provided for the care work.

Application Form

Apply for a carer's Council Tax exemption Council Tax: Discount Disregards Enquiry Form

If you've left your property empty (unoccupied) in order to provide care your property may be exempt from Council Tax, click here to see if your property may be exempt from Council Tax

When an adult has died, you must tell us so that we can make sure that you or the estate only pays the right amount of Council tax and no more.  You must also You must also register the death..

Read more information Someone has died

If you or an adult in your home has been detained by order of a court in prison, hospital or any other place, that person is not eligible to pay Council Tax.

Tell Council Tax when an adult is detained Council Tax: Discount Disregards Enquiry Form

People in the following situations do not have to pay Council Tax.  Once that person is disregarded, it may only leave one adult eligible to pay Council tax.  The remaining adult may also be eligible for a discount.

People in the following situations do not have to pay Council Tax

• Residents of hostels for the homeless or night shelters (provided the accomodation has shared facilities)
• Members (and dependants) of International Headquarters and Defence Organisations
• Members (and dependants) of visiting forces
• Non-British spouses of students
• People with diplomatic privilege or immunity
• Members of Religious Communities where the principal occupation is prayer, contemplation, education or relief of suffering.  The members must be dependent upon the community for their material needs and have no income or capital of their own.

Tell Council Tax if you are in one of these situations Council Tax: Discount Disregards Enquiry Form 

If you are under exceptional unforeseen personal circumstances you may be allowed a discretionary discount. You will have to provide evidence of why your circumstances are exceptional.

Read the Locally Defined Discounts (Section 13A) Framework here Locally Defined Discounts (Section 13A) Framework