Last year Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced that councils in England and Wales could increase council tax by 5% without a referendum
Want Stoke-on-Trent news emailed to you direct from our journalists? Sign up to our newsletter
We have more newsletters
At this time of year – and especially with the cost of living crisis rumbling along – there are lots of people who are watching their pennies. Finances will likely be a worry for a lot of households especially as council tax bills are set to rise again in April.
Last year Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced that councils in England and Wales could increase council tax by 5% without a referendum.
Our colleagues at the Mirror have compiled together a full list of the council tax discounts which are available to be claimed, and how to check if you're eligible.
READ:'Wear face masks and stay at home when ill' plea as NHS tackles deadly crisis
If you live on your own, you can get 25% off your council tax bill. This discount also applies if you have a “disregarded person” living with you.
Who is disregarded from a council tax bill?
“Disregarded people” are those who are not counted by the local authority when calculating council tax for a household.
Someone will be disregarded if they’re:
This also applies if there is one adult and one full-time student or student nurse living together in a property, or if there is one adult and one person classed as “severely mentally impaired” in the home.
According to Citizens Advice, someone is classed as “severely mentally impaired” if their mental health condition is permanent, such as having dementia.
To get the discount, you will need to provide a doctor's certificate, which says when their mental health condition started.
They must also be claiming one of the qualifying benefits which includes benefits such as:
In England and Wales you can also be receiving:
In Scotland you can also be eligible for, or receiving:
Long-term hospital patients and care home residents are also disregarded for council tax bills as are those staying in a hostel or night shelter.
Prisoners or someone in detention awaiting deportation are also disregarded as well as those living in a bail or probation hostel.
If you host someone under the "Homes for Ukraine " scheme, they are also disregarded for council tax.
If every resident of a household is classed as “disregarded” then that household can receive a 50% reduction on their council tax bill.
Households that contain entirely full-time students do not need to pay council tax so are eligible for a 100% discount.
To count as a full-time student, your course must:
This rule applies to both specialist student accommodation and to private renting, to get the discount in private rental accommodation you may need to apply for the discount.
If you receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, you could get a 100% discount on your council tax bill.
If not, you could still get help if you have a low income and less than £16,000 in savings.
This all depends on your local council, so see what help they can offer you.
Households on a low income or receiving benefits could be eligible for a reduction to their council tax bill. However, this discount is dependent on where you live as each local authority runs its own scheme.
Some areas can offer a full 100% discount on your council tax whilst others it's a lot less.
What you get depends on factors such as:
You might be able to get another discount called a “second adult rebate” which is when an adult you live with has a low income or is getting certain benefits.
Once you have contacted your local council about this discount and you have supplied the evidence you need, your council will then work out your new bill and tell you how much council tax you need to pay.
If you, or someone you live with is disabled then you may be able to claim a reduction as the council will charge you the rate for the next lowest council tax band instead.
According to Citizen’s Advice, if your property is in band D, you'll pay the band C council tax rate and if your property is in band A, your council tax bill will be reduced by 17% instead – as band A is the lowest band.
To get the disabled person’s reduction, your property must have been adapted to meet the needs of the disabled person and have either:
If you are classed as having a severe mental impairment (SMI) and you live alone, you could get 100% of your council tax bill wiped off.
This also applies if you live with one or more other adults who are also SMI adults or full-time students.
All-SMI and all-student households (or a combination of both) are exempt from paying council tax altogether.
A 50% discount could be awarded to someone with an SMI living with one or more other adults who are also disregarded from paying council tax.
Got something to say about this story? Join the conversation by clicking on the green comments icon at the top of this page or the picture box
READ MORE:
Government officials urge parents to keep ill kids at home amid rise of Strep A, Covid and flu
Brits urged to look out for Covid signs after mixing with friends and family over Christmas
Woman struck down with long Covid two years ago says it has 'ruined her life'
Mum blames mouldy house as eight-month-old daughter hospitalised three times
Strep A: What it is, how it spreads and what parents should look for
