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Council Tax - discount

The amount of council tax you have to pay depends on:

Living alone relief (Single Resident Discount)

When we work out your council tax we assume that two people, aged 18 or over, live in most properties.  If only one person aged 18 or over lives in your property, we can give you a single person discount of 25 per cent (one quarter).

We may need to decide where someone's main home is for example, if they work away from home or if they have more than one home.

Disabled person relief

Your bill may be reduced if a permanently disabled person (whether an adult or child) lives with you. 

Empty Properties and Exemptions

Changes to the Council Tax regulations were introduced in 2003 by the Government to give councils the discretion to vary discounts on both empty and furnished second properties, as appropriate for their specific areas.

Therefore South Derbyshire District Council has made the decision that there will be a reduction in discount from 1 April 2009 for two classes of properties that are not being used as anyone's main home. This decision brings us in line with the majority of Local Authorities in the country, who brought in this reduction in 2005.

Long term empty properties will have their discount removed altogether, resulting in a full charge after the initial 6 month exemption period. Second homes and furnished lets will be reduced from 50% discount to 10%.

Second homes as a condition of employment will be unaffected by this decision.

This decision has been primarily made with regards to the strategic Housing perspective where the Council is committed to encouraging the return of empty properties into use.

More information and an application form are available for download below.

Other discounts

Some people are disregarded for council tax purposes. This means that we will not count them when we decide how many people live in your property.

We may be able to give you a council tax discount if someone in your home is:

  • a student, student nurse, apprentice or Youth Training Trainee 
  • a non-British husband or wife or dependant of a student (who is prevented by the terms of her / his leave to enter or remain in the UK from working or claiming benefit. 
  • under 20 and still at school or has just left school 
  • a person who still has Child Benefit paid for them 
  • a person who is a Foreign Language Assistant 
  • a person who is severely mentally impaired 
  • a carer 
  • in prison or held somewhere else by the authorities 
  • living in hospital 
  • living in a care home 
  • a member of a religious community 
  • a person who lives in a hostel for the homeless or a night shelter 
  • a Member (or dependant) of International Headquarters and defence organisations 
  • a Member (or dependant) of a Visiting Force; or 
  • a person with diplomatic immunity or privileges.

We can reduce your bill by 25 per cent or 50 per cent, depending on how many people we count. If we count only one person as living in your property we can give you a discount of 25 per cent. If we count nobody as living in your property we can give you a discount 50 per cent.

To make an application, or let us know that you no longer qualify for a discount, please use the forms below:

 Other discount or exemption form (complete online)

Contact details

South Derbyshire District Council
Revenue Services
Civic Offices
Civic Way
Swadlincote
Derbyshire
DE11 0AH

Tel:  01283 595971 
Fax: 01283 595857
Online: contact form
email: ctaxnndr@south-derbys.gov.uk     

Page ref: LGSL 59

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