Discount Categories

Single Resident Discount
If you are the only person aged 18 or over living in your property, you will qualify for a 25% discount.

Your Council Tax bill is worked out assuming that there are two or more adults living in the property. If a member of your household falls into one of the categories below, he/she will be disregarded for Council Tax purposes, in which case you may qualify for a 25% discount. Similarly, if there are 2 adults living in the property and they both fall into a discount category, a 50% discount may be applicable. However, if after disregarding such people, two or more adults still remain, no discount is applicable.

To claim a discount, please contact us| straight away, stating which discount you wish to claim, and we will send you a form to fill in. Alternatively, you can download your application form online|.

Persons for whom Child Benefit is payable

The person must be 18 years old
Someone must be receiving Child Benefit on behalf of this person, or would be receiving Child Benefit if the child was not in care

Persons in Detention

A person who is :

detained for a short period where under the law he/she is still regarded as being resident in the property which is normally considered their home.
detained in a prison hospital or another place by the order of a court, but not for non-payment of Council Tax or non-payment of a fine; or under an Immigration Health Act.

Hospital Patients

Permanently living in a hospital (NHS hospitals or Armed Forces medical establishments).

Nursing Home or Care Home Patients

Permanently living in either a residential care home, nursing home or mental nursing home.
Receiving care or treatment at the nursing or care home.

Residents of Hostels

Who has his/her sole or main residence in a hostel or a night shelter, which is for people of no fixed abode.
Must not have a tenancy at the property.

Severely Mentally Impaired

The person must be certified by a doctor as being severely mentally impaired (SMI), and must be entitled to one of the following benefits:

Incapacity benefit
Attendance allowance
Severe disablement allowance
Care component of a disability living allowance (middle or higher rate)
An increase in disablement allowance where constant attendance is needed
Disabled person's tax credit
Unemployability supplement
Constant attendance allowance
Unemployability allowance
Income support including a disability premium
Partner is in receipt of increased Job Seekers Allowance due to the SMI person's incapacity to work

Care Workers

Gives care to another person on behalf of a charity or Local Authority
Works for at least 24 hours per week, and is paid not more than £36 per week
Lives in the premises provided by the employer for the better performance of his/her job

Carers

This relates to a person who provides care to a person who is entitled to one of the following benefits:

Higher rate of attendance allowance
Highest rate of care component of a disability living allowance
An increase in the rate of disablement pension
An increase in constant attendance allowance

The carer must live in the same property as the person for whom he/she is caring and must care for that person for at least 35 hours per week.

The person who is receiving care must not be related to the carer as a partner or spouse or son/daughter under the age of 18

Students

A student is someone undertaking a full time course at a prescribed educational establishment.

A full time course is one which:

lasts for one academic or calendar year
requires attendance at an educational establishment for at least 24 weeks in that year
and that person's study/tuition/work experience amounts to at least 21 hours per week

A student is a person who is:

a foreign language assistant, or
undertaking a full time course of education, or
undertaking a qualifying course and is under 20 years old

A student will be asked to provide a certificate issued by their educational establishment

Student Nurses

Relates to a person undertaking a course which would lead to registration under the Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Act.

Youth Training Trainees

Under the age of 25
Undertaking a course on an approved training scheme

Apprentices

Employed to learn a trade, business or profession
Undertaking a training course which leads to a qualification recognised by the National Council of Vocational Qualifications
Receiving a salary or allowance which is no more than £195 per week and is substantially less than the salary he/she would receive if qualified

School or College Leaver

Under the age of 20
Has within the last year ceased undertaking a qualifying course of education since 30th April of that year

This discount will only apply until 1st November of that year.

Other Categories:

Visiting Forces

This relates to a person who is a member of a Visiting Force or their dependants (who are not normally resident in the UK and are not British Citizens).

Members of International Headquarters and Defence Organisations

This relates to a person or a dependant of a member of International Headquarters and Defence Organisations.

Members of Religious Communities

Member of a religious community whose principle occupation consists of prayer, contemplation, education or the relief of suffering
Has no capital income of his/her own and must be dependent on the community to provide his/her needs.

Spouses of students who are not British Citizens

A person who is not a British citizen, is the spouse / dependent of a student and is prevented by immigration rules from taking paid work or claiming benefit.

Diplomats

This relates to people who have diplomatic privileges or immunities, and their spouse, who is not a British Citizen.

IMPORTANT
If your circumstances change, which means you are no longer entitled to receive any of the discounts shown on your bill, you must tell us straight away.

The information you provide may be disclosed to the Audit Commission for data matching exercises for the purpose of preventing and detecting fraud. For more information please visit www.gloucester.gov.uk/nationalfraudinitiative|.

Last Updated: 09/01/09