Discount - Council Tax

Information about the amount of Council Tax you have to pay and discounts available.

The amount of Council Tax you have to pay depends on

• The valuation band your property is in
• The number of adults (18 and over) living in your property

When we work out your Council Tax we assume two adults live in most properties.

Single Person Discount

If you are the only adult in your home (aged 18 or over), we can give you a single person discount of 25%.

We may need to decide where your main home is (e.g. if you work away from home or have more than one home).

More information on applying for, cancelling or the review of single person discount.

Other Discounts

Some adults do not have to pay Council Tax. We will not count them when we decide how many adults live in the home.

The following people are not counted when working out Council Tax.

• Full time students, student nurses, apprentices and youth trainees  
• Students or a student's non-British spouse or dependants
• People who are entitled to Child Benefit or 18 and 19 year olds who leave school or college between 30 April and 1 November 
• Certain care workers and carers (see below)
• People with severe mental impairment
• People detained in prison or hospital by a court order 
• Long term patients in hospital or a care home
• Members of certain religious communities
• People who are resident in certain hostels
• Members of international headquarters and defence organisations and their families
• Members of visiting forces and their families  

You can apply for a 50% discount if all the adults are not counted.

If your property is unoccupied or is a second home:

• Those who own a second home in Solihull will be entitled to a discount of 10%. This covers any dwellings being used as a second home or any furnished property that is not being lived in.
• Those with job related second homes provided by an employer for reasons of employment may still be eligible for a 50% discount if certain conditions apply.  More information on Job Related Second Home Discount.

In certain situations a full Council Tax exemption may be awarded on an unoccupied property. More information on properties that may be entitled to a Council Tax exemption.

Carers

You may be able to claim a discount if you share your home with someone who is entitled to certain allowances or disablement pension and you care for them for more than 35 hours a week.

We cannot award a discount to someone who cares for their husband, wife or partner or a son or daughter who is under 18.

Carer Workers

You may be entitled to claim a discount if you provide care or support on behalf of a local authority, a charity, the Government, or you are employed by the person being cared for.

You must live in premises provided for you and work for at least 24 hours a week and earn no more than £44 a week before deductions.

Contact Details

For further advice about discounts, please contact Income and Awards on 0121 704 8100 or email council.tax@solihull.gov.uk