Discounts and exemptions

A Council Tax bill is based on two or more adults living in a property as their main home. If you’re the only adult (aged 18 or over) living in your home, you can claim a single-person Council Tax discount of 25%.

If you are claiming a discount because someone has moved out of your home leaving you as the only adult,  you will need to provide their new address. This will help us check your claim. You will not be entitled to a discount if someone has left your home for a short period of time, or intends to return. in the future.

You may be entitled to a discount if adults living in the property fall into a category which means they are disregarded (ignored) for the purposes of calculating the discount:

• If all the adults are disregarded, there is a 50% discount
• If all but one of the adults living at the property is disregarded, there is a 25% discount
• If there are two or more adults who are not disregarded, there is no discount.

You can apply for your single-person discount to start from a past date (called backdating, a maximum period of six years).

• We may request some proof to confirm entitlement for the whole of the period or the date from which the award should apply.
• If you are applying for a discount more than twelve months before the date of your application you should confirm the reason why your application has not been made earlier.

Once awarded, the discount will remain on your account but you must advise us immediately if your circumstances change and you are no longer entitled to a single-person discount. For example, the number of adult occupiers is now greater than one due to another resident becoming eighteen years old.

We may choose to review your entitlement and if we do not receive confirmation from you that you are still a single occupier then the discount will be removed.

Apply

Apply for single person discount

What happens next?

If your application is successful, we'll process the change immediately and you can view your revised bill via your online account.

If we can't process your application, you'll receive an email advising you to contact us.

If your circumstances change

If you are no longer the only person aged 18 or over living at the property you must cancel your entitlement to single-person discount. To cancel a single-person discount, please use our online form to inform us. 

If we give you a reduction by mistake or you are no longer entitled to receive a reduction because your circumstances have changed, you must let us know within 21 days or you could be fined or prosecuted. Use our change in circumstance online form to let us know that you have received a discount by mistake. In the form – when asked why you are contacting us – choose other Council Tax discounts and exemptions.

Review your single-person discount

We review all households claiming a single person’s discount on their council tax bill. If you've received a letter regarding your entitlement to the discount, please complete our single person discount review.