Help with council tax

Council tax property bands

The amount of council tax that you must pay varies from authority to authority but it is based on the property band that applies to your home.

These bands are:

• A to H in England and Scotland
• A to I in Wales.

You pay the lowest council tax if your home is classed as band A and the highest if your home is classed as band H or I. See which band your property is in.

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What help can I get with my council tax bill?

There are four ways you can get help. You can get help from 2,3 and 4 at the same time if you satisfy the rules for each of them.

1. your home or property may be exempt from the council tax altogether
2. you can get a discount
3. you can pay less because you are disabled
4. you can get a reduction if you are on a low income (or if you have someone living with you on a low income - this is known as a second adult rebate. The second adult rebate does not apply in Wales and some English councils)

You will usually get a letter or leaflet with your council tax bill, listing or explaining the help available.

Students do not normally have to pay council tax. For information about council tax and the support that is available for disabled students, please contact our Disabled Students Helpline

Telephone 0330 995 0414 or email: students@disabilityrightsuk.org.

If you go into hospital, check with your local council.

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Council tax exemptions

If your property is exempt, you will not have to pay council tax. For example, your property will be exempt if:

• it is empty because you now permanently live in a care home or hospital
• your home is occupied only by students
• your home has been left empty because you are a student
• everyone in your home has a severe mental impairment
• your home has been left empty because you are providing care

You will need to contact your own council about exemptions. They should also have information on their website.

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Council tax support for people with severe mental impairment

This means anyone who ‘has a severe impairment of intelligence and social functioning (however caused) which appears to be permanent’ and has a certificate from a registered medical practitioner confirming this (which may cover a past, present or future period). They must also be entitled to one of the following benefits:

• disability living allowance middle or highest rate care component
• personal independence payment daily living component (either rate) or armed forces independence payment
• attendance allowance, constant attendance allowance (or an equivalent benefit)
• employment and support allowance
• severe disablement allowance
• universal credit including the work capability amount
• the disabled worker element of working tax credit

or is over pension age and would have been entitled to one of the above benefits if under pension age.

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Council tax discount scheme

You can get a discount of 25% off your bill if you are the only person living in your home or if all the other residents are ‘disregarded’ for council tax purposes.

You can get a 50% discount off your bill if you and all the other residents are disregarded.

Those who are disregarded include:

• people who are considered to be ‘severely mentally impaired’
• certain types of carer
• people in hospital, a care home, or certain kinds of hostel
• anyone whose ‘sole or main residence’ is elsewhere
• young people, students, student nurses, youth trainees, apprentices and certain other groups

For a more detailed sample list, see Ealing Council's website.

The rules for discounts are different if you have a second home.

You will need to check with your council to see if you can get a discount.

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Council tax discounts and second homes

In Scotland, local authorities have the power to reduce the discount offered on furnished second homes from 50% to just 10%.

In England and Wales, authorities have discretion to reduce the discount below 50% or to offer no discount at all.

Properties that have been unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for more than two years may not qualify for a discount and the council tax may be increased by up to 50% (or 300% in Wales).

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Council tax disability reduction scheme

You can get a reduction on your bill if you or someone in your home is ‘substantially and permanently disabled’ and one of the following applies. You (or they):

• have a room (other than a bathroom, kitchen or toilet) which is used to meet your needs e.g. for the purposes of dialysis, treatment or for the storage of equipment
• have a second bathroom or kitchen used to meet your needs
• have enough space in your home to use a wheelchair indoors

If any of these apply, the bill for your dwelling is reduced to the next lowest band. See which band your property is in

If you are already in a band A property, you will have your bill reduced by one sixth.

You will need to contact your own council about a council tax reduction for your disability. They may have more information on their website. This is the information provided by Ealing Council for example.

If you should have been given a disability reduction in the past, but were not, it should be backdated. Backdating may be limited to six years.

Disability reductions are available in all types of dwellings, including care homes and hostels.

In Scotland, the council water charge can also be reduced under this scheme.

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Council tax reduction schemes

There are different arrangements in England, Wales and Scotland.

England and Wales

In England and Wales each council/authority has a different scheme. For details of the one in your area, contact your own council

Use Entitled To online benefit calculator to do a full benefit check, including your council tax support

Scotland

The Scottish Government has set up a single system for council tax support

Discretionary payments

You may be able to get temporary discretionary payments if your local authority thinks you need additional help with your council tax. Contact your local authority/council for more information.

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Challenging a council tax decision

You can appeal against council tax decisions about:

• whether you are liable to pay council tax
• whether you are resident/living in the area where you have been asked to pay the tax
• exemptions
• council tax discounts
• disability reductions
• council tax reduction awards
• discretionary payment award decisions.

You will need to contact your own council about appealing. There is no time limit for this, but you should put your appeal in writing.

If your appeal is turned down, you can make a further appeal to the:

• Valuation Tribunal for England within two months of receiving the decision, or within four months of your original appeal if your local authority has not responded.
• Valuation Tribunal for Wales within two months of receiving the decision, or within four months of your original appeal if your local authority has not responded.
• Valuation Appeal Committee in Scotland within four months of your original appeal.

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Find out more

Advice

Use advicelocal to get advice in your area.

See also our Getting Advice guide.

Find out more

Paying the right level of Council Tax: a plain English guide to Council Tax in England - Gov UK Guidance

8 April 2024

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