Council Tax Reductions

In certain circumstances, you may be entitled to a reduction in your council tax. Read the information below and see it applies to you.

Reduction in Council Tax for a Single Person

If you are the only person aged over 18 living in a property, you will be entitled to the single person reduction. This is 25% of your total council tax bill.

Click on the link for Housing and Council Tax Forms under Do It Online on the right. Then select Council Tax Discount and Exemption Form from the list of forms.

You are required to inform the council of any change in your circumstances, such as if you move to a new dwelling or if the number of occupiers changes. A single person's discount will be limited to the current year and not backdated without evidence. The claimant may be liable for prosection if he/she provides false information.

Reduction in Council Tax for a Person with a Disability

You may apply for a reduction on your bill if you are liable to pay the council tax in a dwelling where at least one resident is substantially and permanently disabled.

A wheelchair user may occupy the dwelling, or there may be a separate room predominantly in use by the disabled person, e.g. for therapy or other purposes as required to meet their needs.

If granted, the charge on the property will be calculated as if the property had been placed in a lower band, e.g. D would be reduced to C.

Click on the link for Housing and Council Tax Forms under Do It Online on the right. Then select Council Tax Discount and Exemption Form from the list of forms.

Reduction in Council Tax for Empty Furnished Lets

You can apply for a reduction of council tax if you are the liable person but you live and pay full council tax elsewhere and this property remains empty and furnished. This discount applies particularly to furnished lets that are empty between lettings

Click on the link for Housing and Council Tax Forms under Do It Online on the right. Then select Council Tax Discount and Exemption Form from the list of forms.

Reduction in Council Tax for Carers

As a carer, you may be entitled to a council tax discount or exemption if:

• You have moved for the purposes of providing care in another dwelling. In this case, you can apply for an exemption on the empty property. When applying for the exemption, you will be asked to provide details on the care you are providing and the properties involved.
• You live in a property where you are employed to provide personal care. When you apply for the discount, the council tax section will ask for details such as your hours of work, your employer, your earnings and any benefits received by the person you care for.
• You are caring for someone who receives benefits such as higher rate attendance allowance or high rate care component of disability living allowance.
• You will not qualify for a carers allowance if you are the husband, wife or partner of person for whom you are providing care or if you are a parent providing care for a child under the age of 18.
  

Carer - Main Residence Elsewhere Online Application

You can apply for a reduction in Council Tax for Carers whose main residence is elsewhere. Click on the link for Housing and Council Tax Forms under Do It Online on the right. Then select Council Tax Discount and Exemption Form from the list of forms.

Carers Allowance Online Application

Click on the link for Housing and Council Tax Forms under Do It Online on the right. Then select Council Tax Discount and Exemption Form from the list of forms.

Unoccupied House - Person Living Elsewhere in Care Home or Hospital

If a person goes into care, long term, with no know date of return to their property in Islington, and their home remains unoccupied, they will be eligible for an exemption of council tax.

Click on the link for Housing and Council Tax Forms under Do It Online on the right. Then select Council Tax Discount and Exemption Form from the list of forms.

Reduction in Council Tax for Students and Youth Training Trainees

If you are a full time student, apprentice or youth training trainee you may also be entitled to a reduction on your council tax.

Students

To be eligible for a reduction you must be taking a full-time course of education and enrolled with a prescribed educational establishment.

A full time course lasts for at least one academic or calendar year, with attendance at least 24 weeks in each year, and study of at least 21 hours per week on average. The course must comprise of study, tuition and work experience or a combination of these activities.

Prescribed educational establishments are universities, colleges and other institutions that provide further or higher education. You would normally be required to attend the course at the establishment’s premises.

A property will be exempt if you are the only person living in the property and are a full time student. If there are only two persons resident and one is a full time student, the non-student will be liable for council tax with a single person’s discount of 25%. If there is two or more people living in a property and only one is a full time student the non-students will be liable for council tax.

If you want to claim a student discount or exemption you will need to provide a student certificate as proof. This document can be obtained from the registrar of the college, university or other educational institution that you attend. A certificate must be provided for each student residing. Please send a clear copy of the certificate to:

Council Tax
PO Box 10541
222 Upper Street
London N1 1YJ

Please quote:

• the customer/ account reference number shown on your council tax bill
• your full name
• the address that the reduction applies to
• your personal contact details

Alternatively, you may visit the Contact Islington reception with the required documents. Click on the link for Contact us at the top of the page for details.

Student Nurses (Project 2000 only)

You will be treated as a full time student if you are a student nurse or are training to become a midwife or health visitor.

To claim this exemption/discount you will need to send a copy of a student certificate as detailed above under Students.

Youth Trainees

If you are a youth training trainee you can apply for a council tax reduction. The employer must complete the declaration.

Click on the link for Housing and Council Tax Forms under Do It Online on the right. Then select Council Tax Discount and Exemption Form from the list of forms.