Single Person Discount
The full Council Tax bill is based on two adults living in a property as their main home. If only one adult lives there the bill is reduced by 25%. This is called a single occupier discount, and if you want to claim the reduction you can:
Alternatively, call us on 0116 252 7005, or visit us at:
Ground Floor
Wellington House
22-32 Wellington Street
Leicester
LE1 6HL
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Student Related Discounts
Some people are not counted as adult residents if they fall into certain categories. The following people are disregarded when we count the number of adults in the property:
Full Time Higher Education Students – You need to be on a university or college course that lasts for at least one academic year, takes at least 24 weeks a year, and involves at least 21 hours of study a week in term time. If you attend Leicester or De Montfort University their registry will send us a list of all students to help confirm your status. If you go to any other establishment we recommend you ask your registry to give you a student certificate and send it to us to prove your student status. Anyone writing up their studies will not be classed as a student.
Full Time Further Education Students – You need to be under 20 years of age, studying for more than three months and at least 12 hours each week for a qualification up to A – Level, ONC or OND standard. Correspondence courses, evening classes or job-related courses like those done on day-release are NOT included.
Student Nurses – You need to be on a course that leads to registration under any of parts 1 – 6, or 8 of the register maintained under the Nurses, Midwives & Health Visitors Act 1979.
Spouses of overseas students – You need to be a non-British spouse or dependant of a student, and you need to be prevented by the terms of your permission to be in the UK from taking paid employment or from claiming benefits.
Foreign Language Assistants – You need to be registered with the Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges.
18 and 19 Year Olds – You need to be in full time further education at school or college on 30th April in the year you leave school, and will be disregarded until November of the same year.
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Care-Related Discounts
Some people are not counted as adult residents if they fall into certain categories. The following people are disregarded when we count the number of adults in the property:
Hospital Patients – You need to be permanently resident in hospital with no plans to move back to your previous home.
Residential Care Home, Nursing Home and Hospice Residents – You need to be permanently resident with no plans to move back to your previous home.
Care Workers – You need to be employed by, or be introduced to a disabled person that employs you, by a local Council, the Government or a charitable organisation. You need to live in premises provided by your employer, and care for the disabled person for at least 24 hours per week for no more than £36.00 per week.
Carers – You need to provide care or support for at least 35 hours each week to someone who lives with you that has a disability, who is not a spouse, partner or child under 18. The person cared for needs to be entitled to at least one of certain allowances or disablement pensions.
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Apprentices
Some people are not counted as adult residents if they fall into certain categories. The following people are disregarded when we count the number of adults in the property:
You need to be employed to learn a trade, and the training must lead to a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ). You must not earn more than £195.00 gross per week, and expect to earn substantially more after you have qualified.
Youth Training Trainees
You must be under 25 years of age and be receiving training laid down in an individual training plan under the Youth Training Scheme, such as TCT, Options, Future and Next Step.
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Severely Mentally Impaired Adults
Some people are not counted as adult residents if they fall into certain categories. The following people are disregarded when we count the number of adults in the property:
You need to be certified by a doctor to be suffering from severe impairment of intelligence and social functioning, which appears to be permanent, for instance Alzheimer’s disease. You also need to be entitled to at least one of a number of benefits that include certain incapacity benefits, disability allowances, unemployment allowances or attendance allowances.
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Prisoners
Some people are not counted as adult residents if they fall into certain categories. The following people are disregarded when we count the number of adults in the property:
You need to be on remand or in prison, unless you are imprisoned for non-payment of fines or Council Tax.
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Homeless Hostel or Night Shelter Residents
Some people are not counted as adult residents if they fall into certain categories. The following people are disregarded when we count the number of adults in the property:
You need to have no home other than a short stay hostel or night shelter that offers communal accommodation.
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Visiting Forces
Some people are not counted as adult residents if they fall into certain categories. The following people are disregarded when we count the number of adults in the property:
Members of Visiting Forces and certain International Institutions and their dependents.
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Members of Religious Communities
Some people are not counted as adult residents if they fall into certain categories. The following people are disregarded when we count the number of adults in the property:
You need to be resident in a religious community such as a monastery or convent where you are dependent on them for your material needs and have no personal income or capital.
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Unoccupied furnished (or part-furnished) property
From 1st April 2004 the Government allowed councils to reduce the amount of discount and exemption granted for certain types of property. The changes that Leicester has introduced are as follows:
- From 1 April 2004 until 31 March 2007, for the first six months that you own a second home in Leicester, or where you are responsible for paying Council Tax on a furnished property that is unoccupied, you will have to pay 50% of the full charge. After six months, the amount to pay will go up to 90% of the full charge.
From 1 April 2007 however this changed so that any property that is a second home or furnished but unoccupied will be charged 90% with immediate effect.
This change is in support of the Council's Empty Homes Strategy to help encourage the quick letting or reoccupation of properties in Leicester.
If you have an unfurnished and unoccupied (vacant) property you pay nothing for the first 6 months, after which your charge will increase to 100% of the full charge.
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Changes to your circumstances
If you have a discount,which will be shown on your bill, you must tell us within 21 days of any change in your circumstances that may affect that discount.
We will only consider backdating a discount if there is a good reason why you have not asked for it earlier,and you can give satisfactory proof of your entitlement from an earlier date.
If we do not give you a discount and you disagree with our decision you can make an appeal. See the Appeals section for more details.
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