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Carers Council Tax discount and exemptions
If someone in your household provides care or support (or both) to another person in your home, they may be disregarded from Council Tax.
If a carer is living in your home you may be entitled to a discount.
If you are a carer who has moved in with someone to care for them, you may be exempt from paying Council Tax on your former home.
How to apply
Carers who are employees
The person who is providing the care or support must:
- be providing care or support through the Crown, a charity, or a local authority
- be employed for at least 24 hours a week
- be paid no more than £44 per week
- live where the care is given or, in a place provided for the better provision of care
Carers who are friends or relatives
The person being cared for must be someone who gets one of these benefits:
- an attendance allowance
- the highest or middle rate of the care component of a disability living allowance
- the daily living component of the personal independence payment (PIP) at the standard or enhanced rate
- armed forces independence payment
- the appropriately increased rate of disablement pension
- an increase in a constant attendance allowance
They are not eligible if:
- they do not live in the same home as the person they are caring for
- they provide care for less than 35 hours per week on average
- they are the husband or wife of the person they are caring for
- they are caring for their own child who is under 18
Exemption for carers who leave home to provide care
If you have left your own home to provide care you may be exempt if:
- it was your main home and not anyone else's main home
- you are providing care for someone who is elderly, has a physical or mental disability, drug or alcohol dependency, or mental illness (now or in the past)
- you moved home to provide better care for the person you are caring for
Even if you have not moved out of your home you may still be exempt.
If you are caring for someone outside of Luton we need to agree with the other local council that your main home has changed.
If your former home is outside Luton you will need to contact the local council there.
After you've applied
You must still pay the amount on your Council Tax bill until you hear from us.
If you qualify for the discount, we’ll check every year that you're still entitled to it.
Backdating your discount
We usually will not backdate a discount because it is almost impossible to verify. We might consider it if you provide strong evidence and our internal checks support the claim.
If your circumstances change
Use our enquiry form to:
- tell us if your circumstances change in the meantime as this may affect your discount
- cancel your discount