Supporting evidence
There are a number of disregards and exemptions which might reduce the amount of Council Tax you pay. For more information and to see if you might qualify, please visit our reductions and discounts page before applying.
Please note that if all residents of a property can be ‘disregarded’ because they fall into one of the below categories, then the property might qualify for an exemption.
You can now apply online for most reductions. The links to the application forms are below. When you make your application you will need to provide some supporting evidence which must be uploaded when you apply.
Please see below for information on what is required, and how to make your application.
Students & all student households
Before making an online application, please obtain a Student Certificate from your college/university office. The certificate must contain the name and address of your educational institution, your name and address, the qualification you are studying for, the number of hours per week you study, and the start and end dates of the course.
If all residents are students (or foreign language assistants or the spouse of a non-British student who is prohibited from working or receiving benefits), then please complete an exemption application. You will need proof of disregard for each resident.
When you have the evidence required, log in to your online account, complete the online application and upload the evidence required.
Apprentices
Before making an online application, please download the Employer’s Certificate and pass it to the employer of the apprentice for them to complete. Once you have the completed certificate, you can then apply for a disregard and upload the certificate as part of your application.
Download the Employer’s Certificate [PDF, 0.1MB]
When the certificate has been completed, log in to your online account, complete the online disregard application and upload the evidence required.
Person aged 18 years, for whom Child Benefit is still payable
Before making an online application, please ensure you have the name and date of birth of the 18-year-old for whom you are applying.
Please log in to your online account and complete the online disregard application.
People with Severe Mental Impairment
Before you apply online, please download the below Medical Certificate. You will need to pass this to the Doctor of the person for whom you are applying and ask them to return it to us once completed.
You will also need to obtain proof of the benefit received by the severely mental impaired person (including Attendance Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Daily Living Component of PIP and Disability Living Allowance - contact us for a full list of relevant benefits). This proof will need to be uploaded as part of your online application.
You can then apply online straightaway, and we will be able to process it fully once we have received the Medical Certificate from the Doctor.
If all residents are severely mentally impaired and are liable for Council Tax (for example, not living in a care home or a house in multiple occupation (HMO)), then please complete an exemption application. You will need a medical certificate for each resident.
Download the Medical Certificate [PDF, 78Kb]
When you have downloaded the certificate, log in to your online account and complete the online application.
Unoccupied property following the death of the liable person
Before you apply for an exemption online, please download and complete the below form which asks for details of the person who has passed away. Please ensure you complete all sections of this form so that we can ensure the account is correctly updated. Once you have completed the form, you can apply for an exemption straightaway and upload the form as part of your application.
Download the Supporting Evidence form [PDF, 0.1MB]
When you have completed the Supporting Evidence form, log in to your online account, complete the online exemption application and upload the form.
Resident Carer
Before you apply online, please download and complete the below form which asks for details of the occupants of your home. Please ensure you complete all sections of this form. Once you have completed the form, you can apply for a disregard straightaway and upload the form as part of your application.
Download the Supporting Evidence form [PDF, 72Kb]
When you have completed the Supporting Evidence form, log in to your online account, complete the online disregard application and upload the form.
Visiting forces & foreign diplomats
Before making an online application, please obtain supporting evidence relevant to your position.
For members of visiting forces this will show a relevant association under Section 11 of the Visiting Forces Act 1952 (for example a certificate or letter of association from your Commander, together with a copy of your orders).
For foreign diplomats and members of international headquarters and defence organisations, you will need to provide relevant documentation of your status.
If the member of visiting forces or the diplomat is the liable person for Council Tax (for example, they are named on the bill) then please complete an exemption application.
When you have this supporting evidence, log in to your online account, complete the online application and upload the evidence required.
Persons in Detention
Before making an online application, please ensure you have the name, date of birth and prison service number (if known) of the person for whom you are applying. Please also ensure you provide the name and address of the prison or place of detention of the person, so that we can obtain confirmation.
If the person in detention is the sole resident in a property (or all residents are in detention), then please complete an exemption application.
Log in to your online account and complete the online application.
Unoccupied property owned by a Charity
Before making an online application, please download and complete the below certificate of eligibility. Once you have completed the form, you can apply for an exemption straightaway and upload the form as part of your application.
Download the certificate of eligibility [PDF, 67Kb]
Once you have completed the certificate, log in to your online account and complete the online exemption application.
Property left empty by a resident moving into permanent care (a hospital or care home)
Before making an online application, please ensure you have the name and address of the care home or hospital the resident has moved into so that we can obtain confirmation.
Log in to your online account and complete the online exemption application.
Property left empty by a resident moving into permanent care (somewhere other than a hospital or care home)
Before making an online application, please ensure you have the address of the place the resident has moved into. Please also provide as much information in your application of the care provided at this new address (including the reasons for needing to move home) so that we can ensure the empty property is eligible for exemption.
Log in to your online account and complete the online exemption application
Property left empty by a resident moving to provide care
Before making an online application, please ensure you have the address the resident has moved to in order to provide care to someone else. Please also provide as much information in your application of the care provided by the person who has moved (including the reasons for needing to move home) so that we can ensure the empty property is eligible for exemption.
Log in to your online account and complete the online exemption application.
Annexe occupied by a Dependent Relative
Before making an online application, please download and complete the below supporting evidence form to confirm the annexe is occupied by an eligible resident.
If the dependent relative is 65 years of age or over: once you have completed the supporting evidence form you can apply for an exemption straightaway and upload the form as part of your application. You do not need to complete the medical certificate part of the form.
If the dependent relative is less than 65 years of age: once you have completed the supporting evidence form you can apply for an exemption straightaway and upload the form as part of your application. You also need to pass the medical certificate to the doctor of the dependent relative and ask them to return it to us. We will process your application once the medical certificate has been returned. You must complete an online application prior to this.
Download the supporting evidence form [PDF, 94Kb]
Once you have completed the form above, log in to your online account and complete the online exemption application.
Property in which occupation is prohibited by law, or there is a planning restriction preventing occupation
In order to make an online application, you will need to upload supporting evidence of the prohibition of occupation (for example, the order under an Act of Parliament) or the planning restricting that is preventing occupation.
When you have this supporting evidence, log in to your online account, complete the online exemption application and upload the evidence required.
Unoccupied property held by a Trustee in Bankruptcy, or repossessed by a mortgage lender
In order to make an online application, you will need to upload supporting evidence that the property is now held by a Trustee in Bankruptcy, or that it is now in the possession of a mortgage lender.
When you have this supporting evidence, log in to your online account, complete the online exemption application and upload the evidence required.
Unoccupied property held for a minister of religion
When you make your online application, please provide as much information as possible regarding the purpose of the property and the reason it is currently unoccupied.
Log in to your online account and complete the online exemption application.
Student Halls of Residence
When you make your online application, please provide as much information as possible regarding the ownership and the use of the property.
Log in to your online account and complete the online exemption application.