Reduction on the grounds of disability
For Council Tax purposes, a disabled person is someone who is
substantially and permanently
disabled, whether by illness, injury, congenital deformity
or otherwise. A blind person may qualify as long as they fulfil the
criteria outlined below.
The reduction takes the form of a rebanding of the dwelling
to one band below that shown in the valuation
list. If your property is in band A, the reduction equates to
one-ninth of the band D charge.
Yes. The property in which the disabled person lives must
contain one or more of the following features
which is essential or of major importance to
the well-being of the disabled person:
(a) a room other than a bathroom, kitchen or toilet, which is
mainly used for the treatment or care of the disabled person
because of the nature and extent of their disability, or
(b) an additional bathroom or kitchen which is required for
meeting the needs of the disabled person, or
(c) sufficient floor space to permit the use of a wheelchair,
needed indoors by the disabled person.
When considering whether a reduction should apply, the Council
will have to decide whether the person with the disability would
find it impossible or extremely difficult to live in the dwelling,
or their health would suffer, or the disability would become more
severe, if the room or extra feature were not available in the
dwelling.
It will help to speed up the Council's decision if the applicant
is able to enclose a certificate or note from some suitably
qualified person, such as a person giving treatment or a social
worker, which states that because of the person's disability it is
considered that the room or extra feature in the applicant's home,
upon which the reduction is claimed, is necessary. If for any
reason you are unable to obtain such certificate or note easily,
please do not delay your application. The Council will still
be prepared to consider it in any case. However, we may
subsequently need to ask for evidence in support of you
application.
No. Providing the disabled person lives in the property and it
contains one or more of the above features, then a reduction may be
given whatever the age of the disabled person.
The application must be made by a person who is liable to pay
the Council Tax. This may or may not be the disabled person.