Council Tax discounts

If you are the only person aged 18 or over living in your home, you can claim a single person discount of 25%.

This discount is awarded on your main home and not on second homes.

You can't claim the discount if someone has left your home for a short period of time, or intends to return in the future.

Apply

If you are applying because someone has moved out, we will need:

• their forwarding address
• the date they moved out

Change of circumstances

You must tell us if your circumstances change and you no longer qualify for the discount.

If all but one of the adults living at the property are full-time students you can get a 25% discount.

If everyone living at the property is a student then you can get an exemption from paying council tax.

To be considered a full-time student your course must:

• last at least 1 year
• involve at least 21 hours study per week

OR

You must be under 20 and studying for a qualification up to A level and your course must

• last at least 3 months
• involve at least 12 hours study per week

OR

You are an international student who is:

• not a British citizen
• prevented by immigration from taking paid employment or from claiming benefits whilst in the UK

Apply

You might be able to apply for a discount on your Council Tax bill if you or someone you live with is severely mentally impaired.

You'll need to:

• get written confirmation from a medical professional
• be eligible for one of the qualifying benefits

The qualifying benefits are:

• Invalidity benefit
• Severe disablement allowance
• Unemployability Supplement
• Disability working allowance
• Higher or middle rate care component of a disability living allowance
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• Attendance allowance
• Constant attendance allowance
• Incapacity benefit under Section 30A or Sections 40 and 41 of the Social Security (Contributions and Benefits) Act 1992
• Increased disablement pension for constant attendance
• Income support which includes a disability premium 
• Universal Credit (in circumstances where a person has limited capability for work and/or work related activity)
• Armed Forces Independence Payment

If you qualify as severely mentally impaired

You’ll get a 100% discount if you qualify as severely mentally impaired and one of the following applies:

• you live on your own
• any other adults in your household either qualify as severely mentally impaired or are full-time students

If you live with someone who is severely mentally impaired

You’ll get a 25% discount if you live with someone who qualifies as severely mentally impaired and either:

• there are no other adults in your household
• everyone else in your home is disregarded

Apply

In order for the discount to be granted, we require the following:

• Confirmation of the number of adults resident in the property,
• The name and date of birth of the person who is believed to be severely mentally impaired,
• Doctor's name and address
• Details of any qualifying benefits that they receive. This can either be a copy of their payment book or an official letter and it must show the person's name, the type of benefit, the date it was awarded and the amount 

You may be able to get a reduction on your Council Tax bill if you, or an adult or child living with you, is permanently disabled. 

If you qualify for a reduction, we will reduce your Council Tax bill to the amount payable in the next lowest band. For example if your property is in band D we will reduce your bill to a band C charge. If your property is in a valuation band A, we will still be able to reduce your bill.

To qualify for this reduction your home must have at least one of the following

• A room that has been modified for the disabled person. For example, a room used to store dialysis equipment.
• A second bathroom or kitchen that the disabled person needs to use. Both rooms must have full facilities, such as a bath or shower, WC and basin.
• Alterations for a wheelchair to be used indoors. For example widening door frames or removing walls for the wheelchair.

We may need to visit your property to confirm that it fulfils the necessary criteria.

Apply

You can apply for this discount online:

You can be classified as a carer for Council Tax purposes if you are employed to provide care or if you are providing care on a voluntary basis.

Employed carer

To be classified as a paid carer for Council Tax purposes you must be:

• Resident in the same property as the person you are caring for and your accommodation is provided by them
• Employed to provide this care and you were introduced through a charity or local authority
• Earning no more than £44.00 per week
• Be employed for at least 24 hours per week

Voluntary Carers

To be classified as a voluntary carer for Council Tax purposes you must be:

• Resident in the same property as the person that you are providing care for.
• The person receiving care cannot be a spouse, partner or child under the age of 18.
• You must provide at least 35 hours of care each week

The person you are caring for must also be receiving one of the following:

• Attendance Allowance at any rate
• The middle or highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance
• Highest rate of Constant Attendance Allowance
• The daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• Armed Forces Independence Payment

Youth Trainees

You can get this discount if someone living at your address is under the age of 25 and is undertaking training under a youth training arrangement.

We will need:

• Confirmation of the number of adults resident in the property
• The name and date of birth of the trainee
• Confirmation of the course they are undertaking. This should be from an official source, on headed paper.

Apprentices

You can get this discount if someone living at your address is an apprentice.

An apprentice must meet ALL of the following criteria:

• Employed for the purpose of learning a trade, business, profession, office, employment or vocation
• Undertaking a programme of training leading to a qualification accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
• Receives a salary and/or allowance which is no more than £195.00 per week

We will need:

• Confirmation of the number of adults resident in the property,
• Details of the person's employment and their salary. This should include the name and address of the employer, the name of the training programme and subsequent qualification, course dates and the salary. The documentation should be provided by the employer on headed paper.

A second home is defined as a property that is furnished but no one’s sole or main residence. It can fall into one of two classes:

Class A

This applies to a second home where occupation is prohibited by law for a continuous period of at least 28 days in a relevant year. For example a holiday home or chalet which is subject to a planning condition restricting year round occupancy. You have to pay full Council Tax on these properties in Neath Port Talbot.

Class B 

This applies to a second home where year round occupation is not prohibited by law or restricted by a planning condition. 

You can get this discount if you get child benefit for someone aged 18 or 19.

We will need:

• Confirmation of the number of adults resident in the property and
• Proof of child benefit.

This discount is available if someone living at the address is detained by a court order, for example in a prison or hospital.

The discount does not apply if they are sentenced for non-payment of Council Tax, Business Rates or fines.

We will need confirmation of the number of adults resident in the property and that the person has been detained.

This should include

• the date they were detained
• the expected date of release
• name of the establishment and
• any relevant reference.

If someone else is dealing with this person's affairs please provide their name and address.

Recent School Leavers under 20

People under the age of 20 who left school or college between May 1 and October 31, having finished a qualifying course of education in the same year.

Requirements

Confirmation of the number of adults resident in the property together with a student certificate or a letter (on headed paper) from the school or college confirming the studies. This must confirm:

• The student's name
• Date of birth
• Name and level of the course
• Start and end date of the course

Students under 20

People under the age of 20 who are studying for a qualifying course of education, which is not higher education (for example A-levels).

Requirements

Confirmation of the number of adults resident in the property together with a student certificate or a letter (on headed paper) from the school or college confirming the studies. This must confirm:

• The student's name
• Date of birth
• Name and level of the course
• Start and end date of the course

Student Nurses

Nurses who are undertaking a full-time course of education at a college or university or following a course leading to registration under the Nurses, Midwives & Health Visitors Act 1979.

Requirements

Confirmation of the number of adults resident in the property together with a student certificate or a letter (on headed paper) from the school or college confirming the studies. This must confirm:

• The student's name
• Date of birth
• Name and level of the course
• Start and end date of the course
• Hours of study required

Foreign Language Assistants

A person appointed as a foreign language assistant at a school or college in Great Britain who is registered with the Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges.

Requirements

• Confirmation of the number of adults resident in the property AND
• Proof of registration with the Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges AND
• Proof of appointment as a foreign language assistant at a school or other educational establishment

Hospital Patients

A person who has their sole or main residence in a hospital is disregarded in relation to that hospital. Someone who is in hospital but returning to the home does not meet the criteria.

Requirements

Written confirmation from the hospital of the name and date of birth of the person and that they are resident there to receive medical treatment.

Residents of a Nursing/Care Home or Hostel Providing Care

A person with their sole or main residence in a care home, independent hospital or hostel is disregarded in relation to that dwelling.

Requirements

Written confirmation from the home, hospital or hostel of the name and date of birth of the resident and that they are there in order to receive care or treatment.

Religious Community

Members of a religious community where the main activities are prayer, contemplation, education and/or the relief of suffering. The person cannot have any income or capital of their own and they should be dependent upon the community for their material needs.

Requirements

• Confirmation of the number of adults resident in the property
• The name and details of the religious community
• Details of any income and capital held by the individual

Hostels/Night Shelters

A person who has their sole or main residence in accommodation such as a home or night shelter, which is predominantly provided in units which are not self contained is disregarded in relation to that dwelling.

Requirements

Written confirmation from the hostel of the names and dates of birth of the people resident in their accommodation

Other categories

You may also be entitled to a discount if you qualify under one of the following categories:

• A member of an international headquarters or defence organisation, as prescribed in the International Headquarters and Defence Organisations Act 1964
• A person with diplomatic Commonwealth or Consular privilege or immunity who is not a British Citizen/subject.
• A member or a non-British dependant of a member of visiting forces.

Apply for one of these discounts

• Email: council.tax@npt.gov.uk
• Tel: 01639 686 188