Disabled band relief
You may be able to get a reduction on your council tax bill if you, or an adult or child living with you, is permanently disabled.
'Disabled person' in this context means a person who is substantially and permanently disabled. The disabled person can be either an adult or a child and does not have to be responsible for paying the council tax bill, but the property must be their only or main residence.
Who can apply
The requirements for a reduction are that the property must be the main residence of the disanled person and it must have at least one of the followiing features, it must also be of vital or major importance to the disabled persons wellbeing:
- an extra kitchen or bathroom for the specific needs of the disabled person
- an extra room, not a bathroom, kitchen or toilet, that is mainly used by the disabled person and is required to meet their additional needs. For example, a treatment room which is not their bedroom.
- enough indoor space for the disabled person to use a wheelchair, the wheelchair must be needed for day-to-day living indoors.
The extra room or space for wheelchair use must be of major importance to the disabled person's wellbeing. This means that without this room or space, the disabled person either:
- would find it physically impossible or extremely difficult to live in the dwelling
- their health would suffer
- the disability would be likely to become more severe
An extra room does not need to have been specially built, but your home will not qualify for a reduction unless the room is essential or of major importance to the disabled person.
Rearranging rooms (for example, having a bedroom on the ground floor rather than the first floor) is unlikely to make your property eligible for the reduction.
Other adaptations which do not qualify
There are many other adaptations which can be made to a property which help support the disabled person in the home, but unless one of the above criteria is met, extra adaptations on their own, do not qualify.
These include, for example;
- Hand rails in a bathroom or toilet
- A lift or stairlift
- Ramps
- Commode
- Hearing loop
Amount of discount
The reduction is made by charging council tax at the valuation band below the one your home is in. So, if your home is in band D, the band C rate will apply to your council tax bill. You will get a part reduction even if your home is in band A.
If the property ceases to be the sole or main residence of the qualifying individual then the disabled relief will be removed.
How to apply
If you would like to apply please contact us. As part of the application process, we may need to visit your home to confirm that it meets the criteria for the discount.