Dudley Council is committed to supporting young people leaving care. Moving to independent living is a big step and to assist from April 2020, an exemption is available for care leavers to reduce their council tax bills to zero until they reach their 25th birthday.
A care leaver is defined as a person aged 24 or under, who has been looked after by a local authority for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14; and who was looked after by a local authority at school-leaving age or after that date.
This applies if you:
- are solely liable for council tax
- are jointly liable for council tax with someone who is not a care leaver
- would be named on the bill if you were not a student.
You will also need to apply for any other reduction to which you are entitled to, such as:
- single resident discount
- student discount or exemption
If you are a Care Leaver please contact us on 0300 555 8000 or email Billing.Deputy@dudley.gov.uk
To validate entitlement we will need to see:
- A letter or similar from a local authority confirming you were a care leaver (if you received care in Dudley, we can do this on your behalf)
- Proof of date of birth
Please note that the Care Leaver exemption does not apply if the council bill is in someone else’s name (for instance a friend, relative or landlord).
