Apply for Council Tax: disabled band reduction

If your home has adaptations to meet the needs of someone with a disability, you may qualify for a reduction in your Council Tax bill. This is called a disabled band reduction. The scheme helps ensure you do not pay more Council Tax because you need a larger property, due to living with a disability yourself, or having a family member who does.

With a disabled band reduction, Council Tax will be payable for the band below your actual property band. For example, if your property is band D, your bill will be for the band C Council Tax amount. Even if your property is in the lowest band already, we may still be able to reduce your bill. Please read Council Tax bands and charges, for further information about how we calculate Council Tax, and the current charges in your area. 

Eligibility

To qualify for a disabled band reduction on your Council Tax, you (or your family member) should have a disability, and have a home with modifications to serve your needs.

The qualifying disability:

• can affect anyone in the household, including disabled children under 18, who would not otherwise be included in Council Tax calculations
• should be 'substantial and permanent' - a physical disability, learning difficulties, some forms of autism or mental health issues can all be qualifying conditions
• does NOT have to qualify for Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance, although we may ask about these when we assess your application 

Your home must have one or more of the following:

• adaptations to make it possible to use a wheelchair indoors (for example, wider doorways, ramps or additional floor space)
• an extra room for the use of the disabled person (to store equipment or medication, or provide essential therapy)
• an extra bathroom or kitchen adapted for the disabled person

Before you apply

To apply for a disabled band reduction on your Council Tax, you will need:

• to register for Council Tax in the Bath and North East Somerset area
• your Council Tax account number. This is a number which is seven or nine digits long, and you can find it in the top left corner of your Council Tax bill. If you are unsure, please view this example bill.
• to have details of the adaptations to your home, or how the extra room is used, to meet the needs of the disabled person in your household

Next steps

• When we receive your application, we will contact you to arrange a home visit with an officer from our team, to confirm the adaptations or extra room in your home.
• We will verify your information and issue you with a new Council Tax bill. You should receive this within 28 days.
• We will check every year that you are still entitled to the band reduction. You may receive a letter asking you to confirm this.

Your responsibilities

• After you have applied for a band reduction, you must still pay the amount on your current Council Tax bill until we issue a new bill.
• If you disagree with the amount of Council Tax we ask you to pay, after the band reduction is applied, you can use our online form to contact us.
• You must respond promptly to any letters we send you about your band reduction. We may cancel your reduction if you do not reply when we contact you.
• You must inform us immediately if your circumstances change (for example, a disabled relative moves out, or you make further adaptations to your home)

Cancelling your disabled band reduction

If a disabled family member moves out, you may no longer be eligible for this discount. You must tell us immediately about any change. If you do not inform us, this might increase your bill.

If you get a disabled band reduction, you can still apply for other discounts, including Council Tax Support, if have a low income. If your circumstances change in other ways, you may be eligible for a different Council Tax discount or exemption. Find out more  by following the links in the panel: More on Council Tax, Other benefits and Advice and Support.