Disregards - Council Tax Discount/Exemptions
When calculating council tax, some people are not counted. These are called 'Disregards,' and can be people in a number of circumstances.
What council tax discount is available?
The discount for disregarded people depends on the household. For example - consider a five person household. Anyone aged under 18 is disregarded. This leaves three people aged over 18 potentially liable for council tax.
- If no one aged over 18 is disregarded, full council tax applies.
- If two people (i.e. all but one adult) aged over 18 are disregarded, this leaves one person (aged over 18) liable. This will be a 25% discount.
Am I eligible for a council tax disregard?
There are several reasons where a person may be disregarded, including age, education and caregivers. The drop-down at the bottom of the page provides a list of who can be disregarded.
Apply for a council tax disregard
Are you using e-Services yet?
The easiest way to apply for a disregard is via e-Services, a free online portal to help you manage your council tax account. Use your secure online account to upload supporting evidence and track your application for council tax disregard as it progresses.
Login or register for e-Services with your phone/computer here
A person may be disregarded if they are:
- Aged under 18
- Aged 18 and someone is entitled to child benefit for you
- A school or college leaver aged under 20 and you have left school or college after 30th April. You will be disregarded until 1 November of the same year whether or not you take up employment.
- A prisoner, someone in detention awaiting deportation or detained under mental health legislation
- Severely mentally impaired
- A full-time student in higher or further education studying for more than 21 hours a week and more than 24 weeks a year. The course must last for at least one academic or calendar year at a prescribed educational establishment
- Student Nurses - we disregard Project 2000 nurses and students of any course that leads to their first registration under the Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Act 1979.
- A spouse, civil partner or a dependant of a student who is a non-British citizen and you are prevented by immigration from taking paid employment or from claiming benefit in the UK.
- A foreign language assistant on the official British Council programme
- A long-term hospital patient or care home resident
- Living in a hostel which provides care or treatment because of your old age, physical or mental disability, past or present alcohol or drug dependence or past or present mental illness
- Living in a bail or probation hostel
- Staying in a hostel or night shelter because you are homeless
- A member of a religious community
- A member of visiting armed forces. Your dependants are also disregarded.
- Careworkers/Carers must be providing support or care to another person at the same address and must meet one of the three criteria below:
- Providing care on behalf of an official charitable body, employed for at least 24 hours per week and earning no more than £44.00 per week.
- Introduced by a charitable body, employed for at least 24 hours per week, earning no more than £44.00 per week and living in the property to enable the best care to be provided.
- Caring for someone who is in receipt of certain benefits i.e. Attendance Allowance, middle or high rate Disability Living Allowance, any rate of the Daily Living Component of PIP and an increased rate of Disablement Pension. The carer must be providing care for at least 35 hours per week and not be the partner of the person being cared for, or if the person needing care is a child under 18, not be the child's parent.