Council tax discounts and exemptions

The government has set out guidelines to help protect you if your council tax bill might have increased because you're hosting a Ukrainian refugee as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

What you need to do

For any discount or exemption below that normally applies to you, please contact our customer services team with the name(s) of the people you're hosting, the date they arrived at your home, and evidence that they can stay in the UK under the scheme.

Single person discount

If you're the only adult aged 18 or over in your home and are getting the single person discount, you will still get 25% off your bill if a Ukrainian refugee is living with you.

Occupied properties that don't pay council tax

If your property is:

• only occupied by students (class N)
• only occupied by people under 18 (class S) or
• only occupied by people who are severely mentally impaired (class U)

you will still get an exemption if a Ukrainian refugee is living there.

Empty properties that don't pay council tax

If your property is:

• owned by a charity that is empty for less than 6 months (class B)
• empty because someone is in prison or detained (class D)
• empty because someone has moved into a care home or hospital (class E)
• empty because the owner has died and probate is still to be awarded (class F)
• empty awaiting a minister of religion to move in (class H)
• empty because someone moved out to get personal care elsewhere (class I)
• empty because someone moved to give personal care to someone (class J)
• empty because it's owned by a student (class K)
• repossessed (class L)
• empty because someone went bankrupt (class Q)
• empty because it forms part of an annexed property that can't be let out separately (class T)

you will still get an exemption if a Ukrainian refugee is living there.

Empty properties where full council tax is being paid

If you pay the full rate of council tax for an empty property - either furnished or unfurnished - and you host a Ukrainian refugee there you will get a 50% discount on the bill.

Because council tax bills have to be issued in the name of a UK resident, the person living there would then be liable to pay the other 50%. You might want to make the payment on their behalf, with the bill staying in your name -  in this case you could then also make a claim for council tax support.

Council tax discount for Homes for Ukraine scheme guests moving into their own property

If you are a guest living in the district under the Homes for Ukraine scheme and you move out of a host family's house and into your own home, you will be eligible for 50% council tax discount. Find out more.