Apprentices
Any person employed to learn a job, and as part of that learning, is under taking training leading to a qualification recognized by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and must not earn more than £195 per week before tax, will not be counted.
Young persons in training
You are not counted if you are under 25 years of age and are receiving approved training funded by the Learning and Skills council.
Full time students
Students (or overseas student) on a full time or qualifying course of education. are not counted.
A full time student is defined as:
Any person who is enrolled in a full-time course of education at a prescribed educational establishment.
- A full time course of education must last for at least one academic year or for at least one full calendar year for those educational establishments that do not have academic years
- Attend for at least 24 weeks in each academic or calendar year
- Study for at least 21 hours per week
or a person under the age of 20 undertaking a qualifying course of education
- a qualifying course is one which lasts for at least 3 calendar months, and is not a course of higher education
- must require at least 12 hours per week to be spent on the relevant activities of the course
or a foreign language assistant.
- are treated as students during any period that they are appointed at a school or other educational establishment anywhere in Great Britain
- must be registered with the British Council
Student nurses studying academic courses at universities are classified as full time students.
Student nurses will be disregarded if they are completing a course leading to registration on any of Parts 1 to 6, 8, 10 or 11 of the Register maintained under section 10 of the Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Act 1979, as a first inclusion on that Register.
Non-British spouses of students
A person who is the spouse or dependant of a student is eligible for discount if the spouse or dependant is not a British Citizen and is prevented by immigration regulations from taking paid employment or from claiming benefits whilst in the UK.
Resident hospital patients
You are not counted if the hospital is your only main home. This applies to NHS hospitals only, where the hospital building is entered into the valuation list as a dwelling.
People living in care homes, independent hospitals and hostels providing a high level of care
If you live, and are receiving care, in one of these places you are not counted so long as it is your only main home.
People who are severely mentally impaired
A person is classed as being severely mentally impaired if he or she suffers, for whatever reason, from severe impairment of intelligence and social functioning which appears to be permanent.
In order not to be counted for council tax purposes, a person will need a certificate from his or her doctor confirming their impairment.
The person must also be entitled to one of a number of qualifying benefits.
People staying in certain hostels and night shelters
A person whose main or only residence is a short stay hostel or night shelter, providing communal accommodation for persons with no fixed abode.
Members of religious communities
You must depend on the community for all your material needs and have no personal income (with the exception of any occupational pension due to former employment) or capital of your own.
Only members whose main work is prayer, contemplation, the relief of suffering, education or a combination of the above are counted.
Over 18, but your parent/guardian still entitled to receive Child Benefit
You will not be counted if you are between the ages of 18 and 20 years old and in full time education undertaking a course of further education.
Carers
You will be disregarded if you are:
Part 1
• Providing care or support through a connection with the crown, a charity or local authority and
• Employed for at least 24 hours a week and
• Paid no more than £44 per week and
• Resident where the care is given or in premises which have been provided for the better performance of work.
Or:
Part 2
• Providing care for a person who is entitled to one of the following state benefits:
- A higher rate attendance allowance
- The highest rate of the care component of a disability living allowance
- The appropriate increased rate of disablement pension
- An increase in a constant attendance allowance
• Resident in the same dwelling as the person to whom the care is provided.
• Providing care for at least 35 hours a week on average.
• Not a disqualified relative of the person being cared for.
A disqualified relative is a person who is the spouse of the other or they live together as husband and wife, or the parent of the other, who is a child below 18 years of age.
Persons in detention
This class includes people who are detained by order of the court, whether they are in prison, in a hospital or in any other place.
It does not include people in police custody until they are remanded in custody by a court, but it does include detention under the Immigration Act 1971 (deportation) and under the Mental Health Act 1983.
The disregard does not apply if they have been sent to prison for non payment of Council Tax or default in paying a fine. It does apply however if they are in prison for non payment of Business Rates.
Members (and dependents) of international headquarters and defence organisations
You will not be counted if you are a member of one of the above, or a dependant of a member.
Members (and dependants) of visiting forces
A property occupied by a person associated to visiting forces.
Persons with diplomatic privilege or immunity
The discount disregard applies to any person on whom privileges and immunities are granted by the Diplomatic Privileges Act 1964, the Commonwealth Secretarial Act 1996, and the Consular Relations Act 1968 or the Commonwealth Countries and Republic of Ireland (Immunities and Privileges) Order 1985.
School or college leavers
People under 20 who leave school or who finish a course at a further educational college after 30th April in any year are disregarded for discount purposes until the 1st November of the same year.
Council Tax Benefit
Although it is not classed as a discount you may also get help with your Council Tax bill if you are on a low income, by claiming Council Tax Benefit. More information on this benefit and how to claim can be found by viewing our page Can I get help to pay my Council Tax?
Further Information
If you require any further information on discounts, please either contact the Council Tax department or call in to one of the Customer Access Points.