If you meet the eligibility criteria, you may be entitled to a discount.
Single person discount
A full Council Tax bill is based on at least two adults living in a property. If there is only one person aged 18 or over in your home, you can get a single person discount. This means that you get 25% off your bill.
This only applies to your main home, where you live. You can’t get it for a second home.
To apply for a single person discount please contact us.
Disabled reduction
You may be able to get money off your Council Tax bill if you or someone who lives with you has a disability and either:
- There is an extra bathroom or kitchen because of the disability
- There is enough room in the property to enable the disabled person to use their wheelchair
- There is a room in the property used by the disabled person because of their disability (e.g. for dialysis, physical therapy)
Further details on eligibility requirements are available.
We will visit you at home to check if you are eligible. We may also ask your GP for details of your disability.
If a reduction is given, you pay the amount for the Council Tax band below the one that applies to your home. For example, if your home is in Band D, the charge would be at the Band C level. If your home is in Band A, there's a fixed reduction.
If we approve your application, we will send you a recalculated Council Tax bill.
Apply for a disabled reduction
Severely mentally impaired discount
You may be able to get a reduction in your Council Tax if someone aged 18 or over lives with you but they are 'severely mentally impaired'.
This will include people who have been diagnosed with severe, permanent mental health issues including Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
The condition must be confirmed by a doctor.
The person must be entitled to one of the following benefits:
- Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Attendance Allowance (AA)
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Daily Living Component at either standard or enhanced rate
- Short term or long-term Incapacity Benefit (IB)
- Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA)
- The highest or middle-rate care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Personal Independence Payment Daily Living Component at either standard or enhanced rate
- An increase in Disablement Pension for constant attendance
- The disability element of Working Tax Credit
- Income Support which includes a disability premium because of incapacity for work
- Constant Attendance Allowance payable under the Industrial Injuries or War Pension schemes
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Unemployability Supplement (abolished in 1987 but existing claimants remain entitled)
A full Council Tax bill is based on at least two adults living in a property. Discounts do not apply if two or more adults live in the same property and are counted for council tax purposes.
A person who is severely mentally impaired is not counted when calculating the number of occupants. If, after discounting people who are severely mentally impaired there is only one occupant, then a 25% discount on your bill may be given.
Live in carers discount
In some circumstances, live-in carers are not counted for Council Tax and you may be able to get a reduction in your bill of 25%.
The carer must provide care for at least 35 hours a week and they must not be:
- The partner of the person who is being cared for; or
- The child’s parent if the person being cared for is under 18
The person receiving care must also get one of these benefits:
- The highest or middle-rate care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Daily Living Component at either standard or enhanced rate
- Attendance Allowance (AA)
- Increase in Constant Attendance Allowance payable under the Industrial Injuries or War Pension schemes
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Highest rate of Constant Attendance Allowance payable on top of full rate Disablement Benefit paid for an industrial injury
Apprenticeships
You may qualify for a discount if you're employed to learn a trade or a profession and you meet all of the following conditions:
- you are not paid more than £195 a week
- your salary is substantially less than you'd get once you're qualified
- your training programme leads to a qualification accredited by the National Council for Vocational Qualifications or the Scottish Vocational Education Council.
Please contact the Council Tax section to discuss this further.