Money off your Council Tax bill

A Council Tax bill with some money beside it and an arrow pointing down.

Some people can get money off their Council Tax bill.

A woman looking at a letter in front of her home. Underneath the picture are the words Council Tax Support

You might be able to get money off your Council Tax bill with Council Tax Support.

A family including a person in a wheelchair in an outline of a house with a Council Tax bill, some money and an arrow pointing down beside the house.

Disabled Band Reduction Scheme

If someone with a disability lives in your home, you might be able to get money off your Council Tax bill with the Disabled Band Reduction Scheme.

A detached brick house with a white door

Every home is in a Council Tax band. A band is like a group.

The Council Tax bands are the letters of the alphabet from A to H. A is the lowest Council Tax band. H is the highest.

The letters A to H with a green arrow going from E to D.

If your council decides you can get money off your Council Tax bill with the Disabled Band Reduction Scheme, your bill will be for a home in the next cheaper Council Tax band.

A house with the letter D beside it and a Council Tax bill with the letter C beside it.

For example if your home is in Council Tax Band D, your bill will be for a home in Council Tax Band C.

A block of flats with the letter A beside them and a Council Tax bill with some money and an arrow pointing down.

If your home is in Council Tax Band A, you will get money off your bill.

You must have an extra bathroom, kitchen or other room for the person with a disability.

Or extra space inside your home so that the person with a disability can use a wheelchair.

A man using a walking frame is standing outside his house

The person with a disability must live in your home most of the time.

A young boy in a wheelchair and an older man with a walking frame.

The person with a disability can be an adult or a child.

An outline of a house with 6 people inside it and a Council Tax bill. One of the people inside the house has a red cross over them.

Council Tax disregard

You might be able to get money off your Council Tax bill if someone in your home is not counted when the Council work out your bill. This is called Council Tax disregard.

A man with his thumb down beside a list of images, each with a red cross beside them. The list includes a child, a college and a nurse.

You are not counted for the Council Tax bill if you are:

under 18 years old
on an apprentice scheme
18 or 19 years old and in full time education
a full time student at college or university
under 25 years old and you get money from the Education and Skills Funding Agency
a student nurse
a foreign language student registered with the British Council
a diplomat. A diplomat is someone who works for the government and represents their country.
a carer for someone in the household. You can not get a discount if you care for a partner, husband, wife or a child who is under 18 years old.

A Council Tax bill and a lady in a wheelchair with a red cross.

You are not counted for the Council Tax bill if you have a severe mental impairment (SMI) and you can apply for some benefits because of your SMI.

A lady and 2 men. One of the men is scratching his head and has a question mark above his head.

Examples of SMI might include:

a learning disability
dementia
Parkinson's.

a book with Rules written on the front, with a green tick and red cross below

How do I apply for money off my Council Tax bill?

Each council has their own rules about who can get money off their Council Tax bill and how to apply for it.

A laptop with an image of a Council Tax bill and an information sign on the screen.

For more information about who can get money off their Council Tax bill and how to apply, go to your local council's website and search for Council Tax.

An open laptop showing a website home page

How to get help

You can get help and advice about money and energy on our website at https://www.mencap.org.uk/help-and-advice/money-and-benefits/how-save-money

A lady thinking about money and looking worried.

If you are worried about money or paying your bills, contact our Learning Disability Helpline:

Call us Monday to Friday on 0808 808 1111

Email us at [email protected]

Fill in our online form

This Easy Read was produced by funding from the British Gas Energy Trust.