Service personnel who own or rent a property are liable to pay council tax on their homes. However, if your property is unoccupied but furnished while you are away on duty in the UK, you may be able to get money off your bill.
You’ll need to tell us some details and provide a copy of your Posting Notice and or the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Licence to Occupy.
Due to essential maintenance Council tax and benefit forms will be unavailable from 9am – 17:30pm on Sat 11 May 2024. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Deployed Overseas
If someone in your household is overseas with the Armed Forces, then unfortunately a council tax discount is not granted. You’ll have to continue paying the full amount of your council tax charges, in these circumstances.
However, all armed forces personnel deployed on operations overseas, who normally pay council tax, can benefit from a tax-free payment on the cost of their council tax, which is paid directly by the MOD. This is called Council Tax Relief (CTR).
This scheme is funded and administered by the MOD, not the Council.
You can apply for CTR at the end of your tour. You will need to provide your HR department with a copy of your council tax bill for the period in question, which confirms that the serving person is counted for council tax purposes at the property, and no council tax discounts have been awarded due to being on an operational tour. CTR is normally paid as a lump sum at the end of your tour in your salary.
