Help with council tax
If you’re caring for someone you may be
able to get help with your council tax bill.
Council Tax Reduction (sometimes
called Council Tax Support) is a
scheme run by local authorities to
help those on a low income with
their council tax bill.
There are a number of
circumstances in which properties
can be exempt from council tax.
These are the ones that may be
particularly relevant to you as a
carer:
• if you have left the property
empty and it is no longer your
main residence because you
are providing personal care to
someone
• if the only person(s) living in the
property are severely mentally
impaired and no one else could
be liable to pay the council tax
• if the property has been left
empty by someone who is now
resident in a hospital, a care
home or a hostel where personal
care is provided
Looking after someone
There are sometimes discounts
you can get on the council tax
bill. If only one person lives in the
property (or it is treated as such)
a 25% discount can be applied to
the bill; and if no-one lives in the
property (or is treated as such) a
50% discount can be applied to
the bill. Certain people, including
some carers and people with a
severe mental impairment, are not
counted when the council works
out how many people live in a
property.
You may be able to pay less council
tax under the disability reduction
scheme if your home has had
work carried out on it to help you
or someone else living with a
disability.
Find out more at
carersuk.org/counciltax
carersuk.org
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