Council Tax

You can get a discount of 25% off your Council Tax bill if you are the only person living in your home or if all the other residents are ‘invisible’ for Council Tax.

If everyone in the home is invisible, you can get a 50% discount off your Council Tax bill.

People who are classed as invisible include:

• people who are considered to be ‘severely mentally impaired’ (if all residents are severely mentally impaired, a 100% discount is applied)
• certain types of carers
• people in hospital, a care home, or certain kinds of hostel
• people under 18 years old, students, student nurses, youth trainees and apprentices under 20 years old (if all residents are full-time students, a 100% discount is applied).

In England, Scotland, and Wales, you will need to check with your local council to see if you can get a discount.

In Northen Ireland, the Rate Relief scheme above, includes additional premiums for carers, and ratepayers over the age of 70 who live alone may be able to get a 20% discount. You can read more about this at NI Direct. 

If there is a room in your home (other than a bathroom, kitchen or toilet) which is mainly used for the treatment or care of the person with CF you can apply, and your Council Tax band may be reduced. 

You can also apply if there is an extra kitchen or bathroom to meet the needs of a disabled person, or if there is enough indoor space for a disabled person to use their wheelchair.

You can ask for the band reduction to be backdated to when you started to be eligible.

• In England you can check if you can get a reduction by using the ‘Apply for a Council Tax discount’ tool on GOV.UK.  
• In Wales read this website and contact your local authority Council Tax department. 
• For Scotland, more information is on this website – In Scotland, water charge can also be reduced under this scheme.
• In Northen Ireland, ratepayers may be able to get a 25 per cent discount in their rates if they’ve suitably changed a property to meet the needs of an adult or child with permanent disabilities who lives in the household.

You could be eligible if you’re on a low income or claim benefits. Your bill could be reduced by up to 100%. You can apply if you own your home, rent, are unemployed or working. In some cases, you can ask for your reduction to be backdated to a date before you sent in your application form.

In England and Wales, you apply via your local authority. 

In Scotland, while a national scheme, you apply via your local authority 

In Northern Ireland, people can get a similar reduction through the Rate Relief Scheme. 

 If you’re not able to get Council Tax Reduction, you might be able to apply for another discount called ‘second adult rebate’. Find out more about second adult rebate.

If you are struggling with the cost of Council Tax, check if your local authority has a discretionary Council Tax scheme and whether you are entitled to any discounts. 

You can also ask your local authority to spread the cost of your Council Tax over 12 months instead of 10 months.

Paying the right level of Council Tax: a plain English guide to Council Tax in England – Gov.uk Guidance

If you are worried about your Council Tax, you are not on your own.  

• Contact our Helpline if you would like to speak to our Welfare Team, or ask your CF social worker, if you have one.
• Independent advice organisations in your area may be able to help, you can find them by searching with your postcode on the Advice Local website.
• In Northern Ireland, Advice NI and the Independent Advice Network can provide advice and information.
• If you are in arrears with your Council Tax speak to your local council – there may be additional support they can provide. You can also seek free, independent, expert debt/money advice from Step Change, National Debt Line, and The Money Advice Service.