Council tax forms, discounts & exemptions

From April 2016, for working age claims, the maximum amount of time you can backdate your entitlement to a discount was reduced from up to six months down to one month. Please ensure you make a claim as soon as you may become entitled, as any delay without ‘continuous good cause’ could result in loss of entitlement.

From May 2016, the family premium was removed. This is an amount included in the benefit calculation where you have at least one dependent child. Anyone receiving the premium on 1 May 2016 was protected from the change and will continue to receive it until they no longer meet the criteria for this, at which point it will cease.

To assist with the above changes and to help with any other individual circumstances that may cause significant financial hardship there is a discretionary scheme available.

Further information, including how to apply, is available from the Citizens Advice Bureau website or by calling 0344 499 4120.

Protection for pensioners

The Government stated that pensioners (persons who are of an age where they can claim Pension Credit) are protected from this change, so if a pensioner is claiming council tax benefit under the existing scheme, they will continue to get the same level of help on the current scheme. The people protected from this scheme are: 

• single people who reached the qualifying age for state pension credit, so long as they are not claiming Income Support, income based Jobseekers Allowance, income related Employment and Support Allowance
• couples where at least one member has reached the qualifying age for state pension credit and neither are claiming Income Support, income based Jobseekers Allowance, income related Employment and Support Allowance.

A person who is liable to pay council tax on a property has the right to apply to the local council for a reduction in the amount of council tax due to be paid. 

The council has the power to award a discount for a period of time it thinks is reasonable and it can choose to reduce the amount of council tax payable.

Council Tax Discretionary Hardship Policy

A person who is liable to pay council tax on a property has the right to apply to the local council for a reduction in the amount of council tax due to be paid. 

The council has the power to award a discount for a period of time it thinks is reasonable and it can choose to reduce the amount of council tax payable.

Disabled relief on Council Tax

If a property has been adapted to meet the needs of a disabled occupant, then, after making an application, and provided the adaptations are of a certain extent, the property will be rebanded to the band immediately below the property's normal council tax band. In effect, the home is treated as if its market value has been lowered by the adaptations.

Please be aware that residents of properties in the lowest council tax band can receive this reduction.

A person may submit an application for Disabled Relief provided they are an ‘eligible person’ or by someone on their behalf.

An ‘eligible person’ is the person who is liable to pay the Council Tax for the property and it is the sole and main residence of at least one qualifying individual.

Where more than one person is jointly liable to pay the Council Tax, either party may claim disabled relief on the other person’s behalf.

Terms and phrases used

A ‘qualifying individual’ is a person who has their sole and main residence in the property concerned and who is substantially and permanently disabled whether by illness, injury, congenital deformity or otherwise.

"Required for meeting the needs" - with regard to the qualifying conditions; this is a facility which is required for meeting the needs of a qualifying individual and which is essential or of major importance to the wellbeing of the disabled person by reason of the nature and extent of that person’s disability. For the purposes of this form a wheelchair is not required for meeting an individual’s needs if it is not used by that person within the property.

Provision of information

We may ask you to supply further information in support of your claim.

Changes of circumstances

If circumstances change and you believe that you are no longer eligible for disabled relief, you must notify Peterborough City Council immediately.

Council tax exemptions

These are organised into a different classes (B,D,E etc), most of the exemptions only apply when the property is unoccupied. However, some exemptions apply not only when the property is occupied and where but also when certain categories of people live there.

B - Unoccupied dwellings owned by a charity (up to six months).  It can be furnished or unfurnished.

D - Where the liable person(s) have been imprisoned, except where they are imprisoned for non-payment of Council Tax. This also applies where the liable person is detained (either in prison, under the Immigration Act or in hospital under the Mental Health act)

E - Where the liable person(s) have moved into a hospital or care home on a permanent basis and have no intention to return, and the dwelling had been their sole or main residence.

F - Where the liable person(s) is deceased and the property has remained unoccupied since their death. This exemption expires 6 months after the grant of probate.

G - A dwelling where occupation is prohibited by law (note that the exemption will cease if squatters occupy the property).

H - Where the future occupant would be a minister(s) of any religion.

I - Where the liable person(s) has moved elsewhere in order to receive personal care, and the dwelling had been their sole or main residence.

J - Where the liable person(s) has moved elsewhere in order to provide personal care to a 3rd party, and the dwelling had been their sole or main residence.

K - Where the owner is a student, who last lived in the dwelling as their main home. You can apply online for student discount.

L - Where the dwelling has been repossessed by a mortgage lender.

M – A hall of residence provided predominantly for the accommodation of students.

N - A dwelling which is occupied only by students, the foreign spouses of students, or school and college leavers. You can apply online for this discount.

O - Armed forces' accommodation.

P - A “property, within which at least one person who would otherwise be liable has a relevant association with a visiting force.

Q - Where the person who would ordinarily be liable is prevented from making use of the property, because it is with a trustee in bankruptcy.

R - An empty caravan pitch, or a boat mooring not in use.

S - A dwelling where all occupants are aged under 18.

T - An “Annexe” which, due to planning restrictions, cannot be let separately from other parts of the same single overall property. 

U - A dwelling occupied only by a person, or persons, who is or are severely mentally impaired and who would otherwise be liable to pay council tax. Please complete form below.

V - A dwelling in which at least one person who would otherwise be liable is a diplomat.

W – An annexe occupied by a dependant relative of a person in another dwelling within the same single overall property.

Council tax support backdated claim

Housing benefit and council tax support is normally awarded from the Monday following the date on which we receive your application. This form only relates to backdates where a claim has already been made for the current period.

If you have not yet claimed housing benefit or council tax support, you can claim a backdate on the main housing benefit and council tax support online claim form.

The maximum period benefit can be considered is as follows:

• If you are of pensionable age you can apply for a maximum 3 months backdated award
• If you are working age (not of pensionable age) you can apply for 1 month backdated award.

You will need to provide full details, together with any supporting evidence, to explain the reasons you did not apply for Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Support at the correct time.