Discounts

If you are already receiving a discount, or you do not have to pay council tax on your property (it is exempt), this will be shown on your bill.

Are you entitled to a discount?

The council tax bill assumes there are at least two adults living in a property. If there is only one adult living there, we will reduce the bill by a quarter by applying a single person discount.  The link near the bottom of this page will take you to the on-line claim form for a single person discount. 

A holiday home, which can only be occupied during certain months of the year due to planning restriction, can receive a 10% reduction. 

If you have a second home the discount for the second home is 10%, unless there is a condition in your contract of employment that insists that you live, and pay council tax, in a specific second home.  If your are required to live in a second home in this way then you can claim a 50% discount for this second home.   

A long-term empty property is no longer awarded any discount as of the 1st of April 2009.  A long term empty property is a property that remains unoccupied and unfurnished after any initial exemption has expired (usually after the first 6 months).

If someone in your home is disabled and either uses a wheelchair indoors or has the total or main use of a room because of this disability, you may be entitled to a reduction in your bill. To find out more, follow this link to the information on People with disabilities.

People who can be discounted for council tax

Certain people aren't counted when working out the number of adults who live in your home, these people include:

• 18 and 19 year-olds who are still at school or have left school recently
• full time students and student nurses
• people under the age of 25 who are on youth training schemes
• apprentices earning less than £195 per week
• people who provide full-time care for a disabled relative who is not a child aged under 18 or their husband, wife or partner
• resident care workers earning less than £44 per week.
• long-term residential patients in a hospital or care home
• people with severe mental impairment
• residents of some night hostels or shelters
• people in prison or detained by a court order
• members of religious communities with no income
• diplomats and visiting forces staff.

Be sure to claim if you think you may be entitled to a discount; it costs nothing, but could save you money.

You can download the relevant discount form from below and return it to us by post.