People disregarded from paying Council Tax

If someone who lives with you suffers from a severe mental impairment the person who pays the Council Tax for your home may be entitled to a discount. Where anyone suffering from such impairment lives alone his or her home is exempt.

Also, if you are a student, who lives with an impaired person, or owns a property occupied only by an impaired person, the property is exempt.

For the purpose of Council Tax, the definition is:

A person who has a severe impairment of intelligence and social functioning (however caused) which appears to be permanent.

Someone is considered to be suffering from a severe mental impairment if they are entitled to one of a number of qualifying benefits, and they have a certificate from a doctor confirming their impairment.

• The standard or enhanced rate of daily living component of the personal independence payment
• Incapacity benefit
• Attendance allowance
• Severe disablement allowance
• The care component of a disability living allowance payable either at the highest rate or at the middle rate
• An increase in the rate of disablement pension
• A disability working allowance for which the qualifying benefit is income support, and the applicable amount formerly payable included a disability premium
• An un-employability supplement
• A constant attendance allowance
• Income Support where the applicable amount includes a disability premium
• Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Universal Credit under part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act which includes an amount for limited capability for work

Should you qualify for one of the above benefits and have a certificate from your doctor confirming the impairment please complete the severe mental impairment reduction form.

Please note that as part of your application you must upload your doctor's certificate as well as the DWP letter which confirms your qualifying benefit and the date that the benefit was granted. We will be unable to progress with your application without this evidence.

If you do not have your doctor's certificate you can download the form to take to your medical practitioner for them to complete.

Once you have the doctor's certificate you should return to this page and complete the application form making sure to upload the certificate as part of the application.

We will be unable to process your application if you only send us the certificate.

Apply for severe mental impairment reduction