Disabled Residents
The Council can grant a reduction on your Council Tax if a resident (adult or child) at the property is disabled, and you have a room, or an extra bathroom or kitchen, to meet the special needs of the disability, or if you use a wheelchair indoors.
We will reduce your bill by changing the Valuation Band to the band below your current band (so if your home is in Band B, we put it in Band A instead).
If the property is in Band A, the charge will be reduced by the equivalent of one-ninth of Band D charge.
How do I qualify?
Council Tax law defines a "disabled resident" as someone who is substantially and permanently disabled, whether by illness, injury, a disability present from birth or otherwise.
The disabled person must live at the home permanently, and the reduction would end if they moved away.
Your property must fulfil one of the following conditions:
Either
- there is an additional bathroom or kitchen for meeting the needs of the disabled resident
or
- a permanently disabled resident uses a wheelchair indoors
or
- there is a room, that is not a bathroom, kitchen or lavatory, used to predominantly meet the needs of the disabled resident.
Apply for disabled person's relief
When you send us the form we will contact you to arrange a visit to your property. We do this so that we can verify your application and make a fully informed decision whether you qualify for the reduction.
What happens if I qualify for the reduction?
We will write to you to confirm that you are entitled to the reduction, and send you a revised bill.
The council must periodically ask you to confirm that you still wish to claim the reduction. We will write to you and ask if there have been any changes, and if you do not reply we may have to stop the reduction.
If there are any changes in your circumstances that may affect your entitlement to the reduction (e.g. the disabled person moves away), you must advise the Council Tax team within 21 days.
What if I do not qualify?
If we do not think you qualify for the reduction we will write to you to explain why. We will also explain what you can do if you are not happy with this decision.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Does the disabled person have to be the person whose name appears on the Council Tax bill?
A: No, the disabled person can be any person who lives permanently at the property.
Q: I have converted a downstairs room as a bedroom. Do I qualify?
A: Unfortunately not. If you are using a room to meet the needs of a disabled person, the use of the room must be connected with the disability; for example, you may have a room converted to deliver dialysis treatment. All persons, disabled or not, require a bedroom.
Q: My disabled brother uses a wheelchair and sometimes stays with me; would I qualify for the reduction ?
A. Unfortunately not. To qualify for reduction, the disabled person must be permanently residing at the address as their sole or main residence (i.e. their main home).
This information is a general guidance and is not a substitute for the relevant statutes and regulations.