Council Tax reduction for disabled people

If someone in your household has a disability, you may be able to get a Council Tax reduction for disabled people. This reduction applies to homes that have been adapted to meet the needs of a disabled person. It makes sure you are not charged more Council Tax because of essential changes made to your property. If your home qualifies, your Council Tax bill will be worked out as if your property is in the band below its current Council Tax band. For example, if your property is in Band C, you would pay the Band B rate.

You may be eligible if a disabled person lives in your home and the property has at least one qualifying feature that is essential to their needs.

A qualifying feature can be:

• A room (other than a bathroom, kitchen or toilet) that is specifically needed due to a disability, such as a therapy or treatment room
• An additional bathroom or kitchen that is required to meet the disabled person’s needs
• Extra indoor floor space to allow wheelchair use, such as widened hallways or adaptations that provide necessary circulation space

These features must be essential to the disabled person’s wellbeing and directly related to their disability needs.

• What is the Disabled Band Reduction Scheme?
• Do I need to be the disabled person to apply?
• Does the disabled person need to use a wheelchair indoors?
• What evidence will I need to provide?
• What if my home is already in Band A?
• How long does the reduction last?
• Will this reduction affect other benefits?
• Can I apply if I rent my home?

It’s a Council Tax reduction for households where a disabled person needs specific features or adaptations in the home. If your property qualifies, your Council Tax is charged as if your home were in the band below your current one.

No. Anyone in the household can apply, as long as a disabled person lives in the property and the qualifying features are essential to their needs.

Not necessarily. Wheelchair use indoors is just one qualifying condition. Having a required adapted room or an essential extra bathroom/kitchen can also mean you qualify.

You may be asked to show:

• Details of the disabled person’s needs
• Evidence of the adaptations (e.g., photos or descriptions)
• Medical or professional information confirming the necessity of the features

Band A properties can still receive a reduction. Your bill will be reduced by the equivalent amount of a band drop.

The reduction remains in place as long as:

• A disabled person lives in the property and
• The qualifying features remain essential to their needs.

We will review this annually.

No. The Disabled Band Reduction is not means-tested and does not affect entitlement to other welfare benefits.

Yes. The scheme applies whether you own or rent your home, including council and housing association properties. You just need to have the required qualifying adaptations in place.

If you want to apply or have a question

Use the Council Tax contact form and choose the following options:

• Under which service would you like to contact us? Select Council Tax
• What would you like to contact us about? Select Something else