Who can apply?
To qualify, your home must be the main residence of at least one disabled person, whether an adult or child, and it must have at least one of the following:
- An extra bathroom or kitchen that is needed for the disabled person.
- Extra space inside the property for using a wheelchair (if the wheelchair is for outside use only, this will not count)
- Any other room (apart from a bathroom, kitchen or toilet) that is of major importance and essential to the wellbeing of the person who has the disability
The disabled person does not have to be responsible for paying the Council Tax bill, they just have to being living at the property.
Main residence
The property must be the main residence of the disabled person. The reduction will not apply if the disabled person is only staying with you temporarily.
Substantially and Permanently Disabled
The disabled person can be of any age and must be substantially and permanently disabled. This could include a physical disability, learning difficulties and mental health issues.
We understand that some conditions are progressive and in these cases a judgement will need to be made when a disability becomes substantial. In other cases what seems at first to be a temporary condition can become permanent so we would recommend that you still apply for the reduction.
What’s classed as essential or of major importance
The room or extra feature is essential or of major importance as if it was not available:
- The disabled person would find it physically impossible or extremely difficult to live in the property; or
- Their health would suffer, or their disability would be likely to become more severe.
What are the requirements for the reduction?
To qualify for the reduction, the property must be the main residence of at least one disabled person and their home must have at least one of the following:
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An extra bathroom or kitchen that is needed for the disabled person
Having a second bathroom or kitchen will not necessarily lead to a reduction, unless it is essential or of major importance to the disabled person and their needs. A second lavatory is not treated as a bathroom.
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Extra space inside the property for using a wheelchair (if the wheelchair is for outside use only, this will not count)
The disabled person must both need and be able to use the wheelchair indoors. The storage of a wheelchair indoors is not sufficient to qualify.
A wheelchair is defined as a chair fitted with wheels for use as a means of transport by a person who is unable to walk as a result of an illness, injury or disability; we will consider a specialised indoor buggy to also be classed as a wheelchair.
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Any other room (apart from a bathroom, kitchen) that is essential to the wellbeing of the person who has the disability
You will need to show that the room is essential, or of major importance to the disabled person’s wellbeing, due to the extent of their disability. You must be able to show that the room or space is needed because of the person’s disability and that they would not need it if they were not disabled. In this sense the room or space must be ‘extra’. However, you do not need to have specially adapted a room or to have built a room.
Rooms that may qualify would be:
- A therapy/sensory/treatment room
- A room used to store medicine and or medical equipment
The following common scenarios would not necessarily qualify for a reduction:
- Using a ground floor room as a bedroom.
- Putting in stairlifts, handrails, ramp access and other fixtures on their own would not qualify for the reduction.
What will the reduction mean to me?
If you qualify, your bill will be reduced to the next lowest Council Tax band. For example, if your property is in a Band D, you’ll pay the Band C rate. If your home is already in the lowest band (Band A), you’ll get a 17% discount on your Council Tax bill instead.
