Council tax discounts for the Craven area

If a disabled person resides in a property and there are facilities essential to meet their needs, then you may qualify for a reduction that reduces your council tax by one band. The facilities in question must have a causative link to the disability and include:

• an additional bathroom
• an additional kitchen
• a room other than a bathroom or kitchen (which is not primarily a bedroom) predominantly used by the disabled person to meet the needs of their disability
• sufficient floor space to permit the use of a wheelchair indoors

How to apply

An application must be made in writing. The property may be inspected by a council officer before a decision is made. 

Apply for disabled council tax relief.

If your application is successful, your bill may be reduced as if your property was in a lower band. If your property is in the lowest band, we may still be able to reduce your bill.

If you have received a full bill, it is assumed that there are at least two adults living in your dwelling as their main home. If there is only one person, the bill can be reduced by 25 per cent. Some people are not counted when looking at the number of adults resident, including:

• full time students, student nurses, YTS trainees and apprentices
• patients / residents in hospital
• people being looked after in care homes
• severely mentally impaired people
• people for whom someone is receiving child benefit
• low paid care workers
• people who care for a disabled person who is not their spouse, partner or child
• members of visiting forces
• members of religious communities
• people in prison
• people staying in hostels or night shelters

How to apply

You can complete our application forms for the following disregards:

• full time students and student nurses
• trainees and apprentices
• severely mentally impaired people
• people who care for a disabled person who is not their spouse, partner or child

For all other disregards, contact us to see if you are eligible and apply.

Pensioners can receive up to 100% off their council tax bill. Find out more on our council tax reduction page.

Second adult rebate is a type of council tax support available to you if you are of State Pension Credit qualifying age. 

You cannot get both council tax support and second adult rebate at the same time. If you qualify for both, you will receive the one that pays you the most. 

If you live alone in a property, you are entitled to a 25 per cent single person discount off your council tax bill. If another adult lives with you, and they have a low income, you might be eligible for second adult rebate. 

To claim second adult rebate, there must be another adult living with you who:

• is 18 or over
• is not your husband, wife, partner or civil partner
• doesn't have joint responsibility with you for paying council tax
• doesn't have to pay you rent
• is not a joint owner or joint tenant on the property with you
• is not a licensee of the property
• has income below a certain amount or who gets certain benefits 
• is not someone who is ignored when the local authority works out who lives with you, for example, someone who is currently in prison or who is severely mentally impaired

How second adult rebate is calculated

To decide if you are eligible for second adult rebate, we only look at the gross income (before deductions for tax or National Insurance) of the second adult. Your income and savings are not included when we work this out.

The amount of the second adult rebate

This will depend on the income of the second adult. The most that you can get is 25 per cent off your full council tax bill. 

How to apply

Contact us to see if you are eligible and apply for second adult rebate.

If you are the only person over 18 in your home, you may be able to get a 25 per cent Single Occupancy Discount (previously referred to as a Single Person Discount) on your council tax bill. 

To complete this form, you will need:

• the address and postcode of the relevant property
• the date you became the sole occupant
• your phone number or email address

If you have not yet told us about a change of address, you can tell us about a move within the Craven area to register with us and apply for the discount at the same time. 

Single Occupancy Discount eligibility

Eligibility depends on the nature of your occupation at an address. 

An adult occupant, aged 18 or over, may be eligible if the property is their main residence where they keep most of their possessions. 

In the case of couples, the marital home is considered to be the sole or main residence even if one of the partners lives or works elsewhere, and therefore the Single Occupancy Discount would not be available. 

You cannot claim Single Occupancy Discount at any second (or further) property owned in addition the a main residence. 

We undertake checks to make sure our Council Tax records are up to date and carry out regular Single Occupancy Discount reviews to make sure that discounts are being applied correctly.

How to apply

Use our online form to apply for single occupancy discount.

If you have been granted any of the discounts below that you believe you are not entitled to, you must tell us within 21 days.

Unoccupied homes

In most circumstances you must pay council tax even when a property is unoccupied. 

Long term empty premium

Properties that have been unoccupied and unfurnished for two years or more will attract an additional 100% premium on the council tax charge. If the property remains empty after five years, the premium will increase to 200% of the council tax charge. 

From 1 April 2021 any property having been unoccupied and unfurnished for more than ten years will attract a 300% premium. 

Under the regulations there are two classes of dwellings which are exempt from the premium. These are:

1. A dwelling which would otherwise be the sole or main residence of a member of the armed services, who is absent from the property as a result of such service.
2. A dwelling which forms part of a single property that is being treated by a resident of that property as part of the main dwelling. 

This measure has been brought into discourage people from leaving properties unoccupied and unfurnished. 

If your property is derelict

Your property is only considered derelict if it is not possible to live in it. For example, because it has been damaged by weather or rot and would need major structural works to make it wind and watertight again. 

You can challenge your council tax band if you think a derelict property should be removed from the valuation list. Further details can be found on the Government website.

Second homes

A property is unoccupied for council tax purposes if it is no one's sole or main residence. This includes properties which are furnished, such as second homes. 

Full council tax is payable where a property is unoccupied but furnished. 

Second home discount

Under certain circumstances a second home will be entitled to a 50 per cent discount. These circumstances are where the council tax payer is unable to live in their second home due to a specified condition in their contract of employment which stipulates that they must reside in another property. 

Examples of such circumstances include:

• a publican who was required to live above their licensed premises
• a residential school caretaker
• a practising reverend living within their diocese 
• a member of the forces who has to live in armed forced accommodation

To qualify, both properties must be furnished and situated within England, Wales or Scotland and the applicant must be responsible for the council tax payment on each dwelling (Ministry of Defence accommodation and properties provided to a minister of religion for the performance of their duties are included in this payment definition). 

Family annexes

A 50 per cent council tax reduction, on top of any other discount, applies if the annexe:

• forms part of a single property which includes at least one other dwelling
• is being used by a resident of that other dwelling or is the sole or main residence of a relative of the person who is liable to pay council tax for that other dwelling

How to apply

Contact us to see if you are eligible.