Council tax discounts and exemptions

Empty properties council tax exemptions

To encourage owners of empty properties to bring them back into use, any property that has been unoccupied and unfurnished:

  • for between two and five years will pay an additional council tax premium of 100%, therefore paying 200% charge.
  • for between five and ten years will pay an additional council tax premium of 200%, therefore paying a 300% charge. 
  • for ten years or more will pay an additional council tax premium of 300%, therefore paying a 400% charge.

A empty property may be exempt from council tax if:

An empty property may also be exempt if:

  • the occupier has moved to receive personal care.
  • occupation is prohibited by law.
  • the occupier has died and the property forms part of the estate of the deceased person and the personal representative is waiting for grant of probate or letters of administration, or less than six months have elapsed since such a grant was made.
  • the occupier has moved to provide personal care to another person.
  • the property has been repossessed by a mortgagee.
  • the property has been left unoccupied by students.
  • the property is the responsibility of a bankrupt's trustee.
  • it is unoccupied for up to six months and is owned by a charity.
  • it is an unoccupied and forms part of, or is situated within the curtilage of another home and is difficult to let separately without a breach of planning control, within the meaning of the Town and County Planning Act 1990(d).

To apply for a council tax exemption, please fill in and submit a property exemption form.

Send your completed form to:

Revenues and benefits, Lichfield District Council, District Council House, Frog Lane, Lichfield, Staffs WS13 6YX.

Please be aware we may visit your property as part of the application process to check it is empty.