Apply for a Council Tax discount or exemption
There are several reasons you might qualify for a discount or an exemption on your Council Tax bill – for example, if you’re a full-time student or the only adult living in your home.
You don’t need to be on a low income to qualify and your income and savings are not taken into consideration.
Single person discount
You can claim 25% off your council tax if you are the only person over 18 who lives in your home.
Apply for or cancel a single person discount
Disregard discounts
You may also qualify for a discount if either all or all but one of the residents are disregarded. That means: not included in the calculation of the council tax amount payable. The discount will normally be 25%, but there are occasions when this could rise to 50%. For example, if all the residents of a property are eligible to be disregarded. Your council tax may be reduced by 50%.
For further information about discounts, contact us on 0208 356 3154.
Categories of people who may qualify to be disregarded include:
- most full-time students
- people who live with and care for someone else
- young people for whom child benefit is payable
- people under 25 who receive training under the national traineeship scheme
- apprentices
- student nurses
- foreign language assistants
- people who leave school after 30 April and start a course of further education before 30 October of the same year
- people who are detained in prison or under the Mental Health Acts
- patients who live in a hospital, care-home, nursing home or mental nursing home
- residents of night shelters or hostels
- members of religious communities who have no income or savings (for example, monks and nuns)
- diplomats and their spouses, if not a British citizen
- people who are severely mentally impaired
- care workers employed via a charity or local authority
If all residents are full-time students or severely mentally impaired, the property will be exempt.
Note: People who qualify for discounts are still liable to pay the balance of the council tax that is due.
Apply for a disregard discount
Full-time students
Generally full-time students are not liable for council tax. There are some exceptions to this. For example an owner or tenant who is a full-time student but lives with a non-student who is not a joint owner or joint tenant.
Partners of full-time students
If a full-time student is married to someone from abroad, has a civil partner, or dependants from abroad. We may not count them for council tax purposes. Similarly, if their visa stops them working, claiming benefit or having `recourse to public funds’. Then we may not count them for council tax purposes.
Disabled band reduction
Your council tax can be reduced by the equivalent of one band if a disabled person lives at the property.
Certain criteria would have to be met which includes either:
- using a wheelchair indoors
- having an extra room to meet the needs of the disabled person
This is not a general discount for a person with a disability. It is based on the property having adaptations made to the original rooms or extra facilities in place to meet the needs of a disabled resident.
Examples of where the reduction will not be applicable include;
- use of a downstairs room as a bedroom
- installation of handrails, ramps and stair lifts
- installation of a second toilet
Please refer to the guidance below before making an application.
Apply for a disabled band reduction
Care leavers’ reduction
A discretionary reduction (care leavers’ reduction) will be awarded to any care leaver between the ages of 18 and 25. Formerly in Hackney’s care, who lives in the borough and is liable to pay council tax, up to their 25th birthday.
The reduction will reduce the amount of council tax a care leaver will have to pay. After the deduction of any council tax reduction and any other national reliefs such as the single person discount, to nil.
Before applying for care leavers’ reduction, or uploading evidence from your care worker to confirm you are a care leaver. You must apply for Council Tax reduction.
Annexes
From April 2014 if there is a dwelling that forms part of a single property. That is being used by you as part of your sole or main residence or is the sole or main residence of a relative. You may be entitled to a 50% discount on that dwelling.
Vacant property discounts and premiums
Council tax exemptions
In addition to discounts and disabled band reduction. Certain types of property are exempt from council tax and have nothing to pay.
The following is a list of properties which are exempt from Council Tax. You should note that the explanations are for guidance only and should not be interpreted as legislative definitions.
Some of the exempt properties are subject to time restrictions and where this applies to a particular class of exemption it is stated within the explanation.
Please note: Owners of properties that remain empty for 2 years or more. Will have a premium of 100% added to their bill.
Apply for an exemption
If you believe that you should be receiving an exemption from council tax but it is not showing on your bill. Complete the form below.
If you need any further information or advice, contact us on 020 8356 3154.
Exempt properties
Let us know of any errors or changes of circumstance
If your bill shows you have received a reduction to which you are not entitled.
If your circumstances change so that you are no longer entitled.
You must tell us within 21 days of the date on the bill.
If you don’t, you may have to pay a penalty of £75.
Council Tax contact line
Telephone
Opening times
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday – 9am to 5pm (telephone)
- Wednesday – 9am to 4pm (telephone)
Notes
Save time by reporting a change of address or applying for discounts or exemptions now. If you think your bill is wrong or have any other queries, use our enquiry form.