If you’ve had to adapt your home because someone living there has a disability, you may be able to get a Council Tax reduction. Having a disability doesn’t automatically entitle you to a reduction in your Council Tax.
Who can apply for a disability reduction
To qualify, your home must be the main residence of at least one disabled person. They can be either an adult or child. Your home must also have at least one of the following:
- Any room, apart from a bathroom, kitchen or toilet, which is mainly used by the disabled person. This could be a room that you’re using for storing specialised equipment like a dialysis unit or wheelchair.
- An extra bathroom or kitchen for the disabled person. (A second toilet with or without a washbasin, or a bathroom converted to a wet room, can’t be classed as a bathroom.)
- Enough space for the use of a wheelchair. (If the wheelchair is for outside use only, this won’t count).
The room or the wheelchair must also be essential or of major importance to the disabled person's wellbeing, due to the nature and extent of their disability. You’ll need to show that, without these features, the disabled person would find it difficult to live in your home and their health or yours would suffer.
For more information see our guidance notes for a disability reduction.
What reduction you may get
If we grant relief, we’ll reduce the banding on which your Council Tax bill is calculated by one band. For example, if your property is in Council Tax band C, it will be charged at band B rate.
If your property is already in the lowest Council Tax band (A), you can still receive a reduction. The charge will be reduced to five ninths of the charge of a band D property.
Read more about Council Tax bands and charges.
How to apply
If your home meets the criteria, the person named on your Council Tax bill should fill in our online form. You don’t need to apply each year, but we’ll check from time to time that your circumstances are the same.
Providing your evidence
If possible, you'll need to provide a written note to confirm the disability. It should be from a qualified person, such as an occupational therapist or social worker. It should also say why the extra space, room or adaptation of your home is needed for the disabled person.
You can send us your evidence by uploading it using our online form.
What happens after applying
If you qualify for a reduction in your Council Tax, this will start from the date you made your application. If you want us to consider awarding it from an earlier date, you need to provide evidence to show that you met the criteria from that date.
Your reduction will stop if your circumstances change and the disabled person no longer lives in your home, or if they no longer need the adaptations. This relief does not affect the value of your property or its true banding.
If you don’t qualify for the reduction, we’ll write to you to explain why.
Making an appeal
If you don’t agree with our decision, you can appeal by filling in our online dispute form.