Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council - Council Tax Reductions

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Council Tax Reductions

Council Tax Reductions

Discounts

A full Council Tax bill assumes that the property is the main home for two or more adults. If this is not the case in your home you could be eligible for a discount:

Single Person: If you live alone or are the only adult you can get a 25% discount.
Unoccupied Properties: If the property is no ones main home - e.g. is empty or a second home you can get at least a 50% discount.

Reductions are also available if all or all but one of the people living in your home are:

Full-time students, student nurses, foreign language assistants, apprentices or Youth Training trainees
Patients resident in a hospital
People who are being looked after in care homes
People who are severely mentally impaired
People staying in certain hostels or night shelters
18 and 19 year-olds who are at or have just left school/college
Care workers working for low pay, usually for charities
People caring for someone with a disability who is not a spouse, partner, or child under 18
Diplomats and members of visiting forces and certain international organisations
Members of religious communities
People in prison (except those in prison for non-payment of council tax or a fine)

Discounts that have been granted based on existing Council Tax records will be shown on the front of your bill. If you have not been awarded a discount and think your are entitled to let us know.

If you have been awarded a discount that you are not entitled to YOU MUST LET US KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE or face a penalty of £70.

notify us through our online Council Tax Discounts and Exemptions form.

Exemptions

Your property will be exempt from Council Tax if it is:

Occupied by only students, under 18's, or the severely mentally impaired
A "granny annexe" occupied by elderly/disabled relatives

or unoccupied and:

Unfurnished (exempt for up to 6 months)
Owned by a charity (exempt for up to 6 months)
Require or are undergoing major repair to make habitable, or undergoing structural alteration (exempt for up to 12 months, or 6 months after work substantially completed, whichever is the shorter)
Left empty by someone who has gone into prison, or who has moved to receive personal care in a hospital or home or elsewhere
Left empty by someone who has moved in order to provide personal care to another person
Left empty by someone who has died (exempt for up to 6 months after probate/letters of administration granted)
Have been repossessed
The responsibility of a bankrupt's trustee
Occupation is forbidden by law
Waiting to be occupied by a minister of religion
Left empty by a student owner
Consist of an empty caravan pitch or boat mooring
Cannot be let separately because of planning controls

Exemptions that have been granted based on existing Council Tax records will be shown on the front of your bill. If you have not been awarded an exemption and think your are entitled to let us know.

If you have been awarded an exemption that that you are not entitled to YOU MUST LET US KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE or face a penalty of £50.

People With Disabilities

If you (or someone living with you) has special needs as a result of disability and needs a room such as an extra bathroom or kitchen, or use a wheelchair indoors, you may be entitled to a reduction.

In most cases where a reduction is granted, your bill will be based on the band immediately below that shown for your property in the valuation list. Properties in Band A receive a reduction of 1/6th of the council tax for that band. Please see below for further information.

Please contact us for an application form or use our online Council Tax Discounts and Exemptions form if you are not already receiving this reduction and think you may qualify.

If you wish to print our Disabled Relief Claim Form, please see below for a full claim form.

Benefits

Council tax benefit ensures that people in receipt of income support will normally pay no council tax, and that other people on low incomes will have their bills reduced. Details are available from Benefits at the Council House, or telephone 01384 818100.