Council tax discounts and exemptions

There are a variety of council tax discounts, reductions and exemptions available that may apply in various circumstances.

Council tax is based on the assumption that there are at least 2 adults (people aged 18 or over) living in the property.

Council Tax Reduction

If you are on low income you may be eligible for Council Tax Reduction.

Council Tax Reduction may reduce a council tax bill by:

up to 85% where a person of working age lives in the property
up to 100% where an individual or couple are over pensionable age

Council Tax Discretionary Reduction in Liability

You may be eligible for a Council Tax Discretionary Reduction to reduce your council tax liability if you are:

experiencing severe financial hardship, or
have experienced a crisis or event through no fault of your own that has made your property uninhabitable, the event is not covered by any insurance policy, and you have claimed any statutory exemption or discount that is available.

Single Person Discount

If you are the only adult (person aged 18 or over) living in your home, we can give you a single person discount of 25%. If your circumstances change and you are no longer the only adult in your property you will need to cancel your discount with us.

A penalty of £70 will be added to your account if you fail to notify us within 21 days of any change to your household that could affect this discount, for instance a second adult moves in or a person who lives in the household turns 18.

Please complete the appropriate online form:

Apply for single person discount

Cancel your single person discount

Your property is unoccupied or is a second home

Those with job-related second homes provided by an employer for reasons of employment may be eligible for a 50% discount if certain conditions apply:

the duties of the job make it necessary for them to live there, for example a publican who owns their own home but whose contract states they must live in the pub they run
the accommodation is provided for the better performance of the duties of the employment. and it is usual for employers to provide accommodation, for example a caretaker or church minister
there is a threat to the employee’s security, or special security arrangements are in force and the employee resides in the dwelling as part of those arrangements.

Discounts for people who aren't counted

Certain people aren't counted when working out the number of adults who live in your home, meaning your bill will be reduced. If two adults live in your property and we do not count one, you can apply for a 25% discount. You can apply for a 50% discount if all the adults are not counted.

When someone is not counted, this means that they are ‘disregarded’ for council tax discount purposes.

Who do we disregard?

18 and 19-year-olds for whom child benefit is being paid or who leave school or college between 30 April to 1 November
full time students, student nurses, apprentices and youth trainees
students or a student's non British spouse or dependants
patients living in hospital
persons who are living in nursing or care homes
certain care workers and carers
those detained in prison, hospital or by a court order (except those in prison for non-payment of Council Tax, or paying a fine
severely mentally impaired
resident of certain types of hostels
members of visiting forces and their families
members of international headquarters and defence organisations and their families
members of certain religious communities

If you think you are eligible for a discount, please download and complete the appropriate form:

care and care workers
severely mentally impaired
council tax discount form (generic form for all other disregards)

Exemptions available for

Sometimes you may not have to pay any council tax on a property. Most exemptions only apply when no-one lives in a property, but sometimes occupied properties are exempt. Where an exemption has been granted it will be shown on your bill.

Exemptions available for unoccupied properties

B - property owned by a charity that is unoccupied for less than 6 months
D - property left unoccupied by someone who has gone to prison
E - property left unoccupied by someone who has moved into a hospital or care home
F - a property left unoccupied because the former owner has died. The exemption lasts for up to six months after probate has been granted and providing that the property has not been passed to beneficiaries, sold or re-let before that time
G - property which is empty because occupation is forbidden by law
H - an unoccupied property waiting to be occupied by a minister of religion
I - property unoccupied by someone who lives elsewhere to receive personal care
J - property left unoccupied by someone who has moved out to care for another person
K - property left unoccupied by a student and was last occupied by that student
L - repossessed property
Q - property left unoccupied by a bankrupt individual
R - a vacant caravan pitch or boat mooring
T - unoccupied property forming part of another property (annex) which cannot be let separately

Occupied properties

M - students halls of residence
N - property only occupied by students
O - property used by the armed forces
P - property occupied by visiting forces
S - property occupied only by people under 18 years of age
U - property occupied only by people who are severely mentally impaired
V - property occupied by diplomats or members of certain international organisations
W - self contained annexes occupied by elderly or disabled relatives

A 50% discount may be granted for annexes used by the owner or tenant of the main building or occupied by a member of his or her family.

If you think you are eligible for a discount, please download and complete the appropriate form:

severely mentally impaired
council tax discount form for exemptions D, E, N, O, P, and V

For advice or information on the other exemptions listed, please call 0121 704 8100 or use our contact us form.

Disabled reduction

You may be able to claim this reduction if your property is the only or main home of someone who is substantially and permanently disabled. Read our disabled reduction page for more details.

Solihull care leavers

With effect from 1 April 2020, where a qualifying Solihull care leaver is liable to pay council tax either as the only resident or living only with other qualifying Solihull care leavers, a full 100% discount will be allowed reducing the council tax bill to zero for the qualifying period.

A Solihull care leaver is defined as a person under the age of 25 who has been looked after by Solihull Council for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14 and who was looked after by Solihull Council at school-leaving age or after that date.

If you require further information, please read our Council Tax Solihull Care Leavers Policy.

Your council tax bill should include the discount, so you will not have to make an application.

If you believe you are entitled to the discount and it does not appear on your bill, please call 0121 704 8100 or use our contact us form.

Penalties

When a reduction, discount or exemption is awarded, you are required to notify us within 21 days of any change in your circumstances, for example if someone moves in or out or their situation changes. Failure to contact us with this information or knowingly supplying false information may result in an overpayment, and could lead to

a fine of £70
a further penalty of £280 imposed for subsequent failures to provide information requested
criminal prosecution in the Magistrates’ Court