Apply for a council tax discount if you or someone you live with are disabled
If you have adapted your home to meet the needs of a disabled person who lives there full time and is permanently or substantially disabled because of illness, injury, congenital deformity, or another reason, we might be able to reduce your council tax bill (known as disability relief).
The disabled person does not need to be an adult for you to qualify for the discount.
Properties that can get disability relief
To get a reduction the property must have at least one of the following:
- a room other than a kitchen or bathroom which the disabled person needs, or
- a second kitchen or bathroom (not toilet) which the disabled person needs, or
- enough floor space to allow the use of a wheelchair by the disabled person.
Rooms that are counted for the discount are as follows:
- a specially built treatment or therapy room
- a room used to store medical equipment
- a room adapted for dialysis treatment
- a specially adapted bedroom
The second bathroom or kitchen must be essential to meet the needs of the disabled person. They don't need to use it all the time, it can be occasional use.
If they need to use a wheelchair this must be for indoor use as well as outside. The discount won't apply if the wheelchair is only stored inside or they normally use it inside but can't because of narrow doors or corridors.
The wheelchair they use must be considered of 'major importance' for their wellbeing. This means:
- they would find it physically impossible or very difficult to live in the property without extra space, or
- their health would suffer or their disability might get worse without the space.
Care homes that can get disability relief
To get a reduction you must:
- show that there is a feature in the home that specifically meets the needs of a person or their disability, even if it's used by other residents. For example, this could be a second bathroom on the ground floor because they can't use the bathroom on another floor,
- show that the extra room or space is related to the disabled resident - if there is a disabled resident living there but you have no extra rooms or space, you won't get a discount.
Apply for council tax disability relief
We'll contact you when we've had your application.
If the discount is given then your council tax bill will be reduced to the next band down. If your home is in Band A we'll reduce your bill by 1/9th of the Band D charge. You'll get a new council tax bill showing the discount.
You can still apply for another council tax discount or exemption or council tax support if you get the award.