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Empty homes premium
The Government is keen to ensure that dwellings do not remain unoccupied
or unused for extensive periods. Unfortunately, it remains the case that nationally, a distressing number of dwellings are being left empty at a time when there is an overall housing shortage. There are currently 213 properties across our district which have been unoccupied for more than 2 years.
Therefore to encourage homeowners to bring these properties back into use, a Council Tax premium will be charged on empty homes after a period of 2 years.
From 1st April 2021, a premium of 100% will be applied in addition to the full (100%) charge after the first 2 years a property has been unoccupied and substantially unfurnished.
Once the property has been empty for more than 5 years but less than 10 years, the premium will be 200% in addition to the full (100%) charge. After 10 years, the premium will be 300% in addition to the full (100% charge).
These premiums are incurred from the date the property became unoccupied and substantially unfurnished and relate to the property not the ownership of that property.
Find out more about our empty homes policy
Single person discount
Your Council Tax bill assumes two adults are living in your household.
If you are the only adult living there (as your main home) we will reduce your bill by 25%.
When we look at the number of adults living in a property, we need to know about:
- full-time students, student nurses, apprentices and youth trainees
- people who live in a hospital
- people who are being looked after in care homes
- people who are severely mentally disabled
- people staying in some hostels or night shelters
- 18 and 19-year-olds who are at or have just left school
- care workers working for low pay (usually for a charity)
- people caring for someone with a disability who is not their partner, or their child (a child is someone under 18)
You can see the full list of discounts available
People with disabilities
You may be entitled to pay less Council Tax if you or someone who lives with you has a room or extra space, or an extra bathroom or kitchen, or uses a wheelchair in your property, to meet special needs relating to a disability.
This means that if you have a disability you might not have to pay more Council Tax for the extra space you need.
Property annexe discount
A Council Tax discount of 50% is available for property annexes.
It applies for people living in annexes providing they are related to the person liable to pay the Council Tax of the
main dwelling. Find out more about annexe discounts