Benefits for people who are State Pension age

  1. Overview
  2. State Pension
  3. Pension Credit
  4. Housing Benefit
  5. Council Tax Support and reductions
  1. Attendance Allowance
  2. Winter Fuel Payment
  3. Help with health costs
  4. Funeral Expenses Payment

5. Council Tax Support and reductions

You may qualify for council tax discounts, exemptions or reductions.

Single person discount

You may be entitled to a 25% discount on your bill if you:

  • are the only adult who lives in the property
  • live with certain others who are disregarded for council tax purposes such as full-time students, carers, people who have a severe mental impairment, long-term hospital patients or care home residents.

Severely mentally impaired people

If you live with a person who meets both these criteria they will be disregarded for council tax purposes:

  • They have a certificate from their GP confirming the condition. Most councils have an application form to be completed by the GP
  • They are entitled to:
    • the middle/higher rate of the Disability Living Allowance care component
    • the daily living component of Personal Independence Payments or Armed Force Independence Payment
    • Attendance Allowance
    • the highest rate of constant Attendance Allowance

Disability Reduction Scheme

If anyone living in your property is regarded as 'substantially and permanently disabled' you could get a reduction in your Council Tax if there is:

  • an additional bathroom or kitchen in the property needed for the disabled person
  • a room (other than a bathroom, kitchen or toilet) needed and mainly used by the disabled person
  • enough space in the property for the disabled person to use a wheelchair indoors (for example widened door frames)

The reduction would mean that your Council Tax bill would be reduced to the band below your current charge. If your property is in the lowest band already you would get a reduction of one sixth of the bill.

Council Tax Support

Each council is responsible for their own Council Tax Support scheme for residents and eligibility criteria varies, but most are based on your income and capital (means-tested). To find out more about your local scheme contact the district council which you pay your council tax to.

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Benefits and financial help