You may be able to pay less Council Tax depending on your circumstances.
You must keep paying your Council Tax as shown on your bill while we consider your application.
Council Tax Reduction if you are on a low income
You may be eligible for help to pay your Council Tax if you are on a low income
To qualify, you must be:
- On a low income
- Responsible for paying Council Tax
Anyone can make a claim, but if your income or savings are more than £16,000 you may not be eligible.
Apply for Council Tax Reduction if you are on a low income
You can use the online form to calculate what you may be entitled to and make a claim.
Sole Occupier Discount
You will get 25% off your Council Tax bill if you are the only person in your household aged 18 or over.
If you’ve recently moved into the property, please let us know by completing our change of address form. You can request the Sole Occupier Discount at the same time, making everything quick and straightforward.
Apply for, cancel or continue your Sole Occupier Discount
Completing this form takes around 10 minutes.
To complete this form you will need your Council Tax account reference number.
After you have submitted your application
It can take us up to 4 to 6 weeks to process the application. This may be longer during busy period. You will receive a new bill showing the discount once we have processed your application.
Please continue to pay the instalments on your current bill until then.
Student discount
To be considered a student you must be undertaking a full-time course of education and studying for at least 24 weeks (21 hours per week).
This could include students who are:
- under 20 and on a qualifying course, or
- a foreign language assistant, or
- someone who is taking a course which leads to a registration under the Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Act 1979, or
- taking a full time Open University Course worth 120 points (two part time courses worth 60 points is not equal to a full-time course).
After you have submitted your application
It can take us up to 4 to 6 weeks to process the application. This may be longer during busy period. You will receive a new bill showing the discount once we have processed your application.
Please continue to pay the instalments on your current bill until then.
Other discounts and exemptions
Disabled Band Reduction
You may qualify if an adult or child with a substantial disability lives in your property. Your home must have been adapted or has features that are essential or very important for a person with a disability, such as:
- a room used mainly be the person with the disability (other than a kitchen, bathroom or toilet)
- an extra bathroom or kitchen for their person with a disability
- extra space indoors for a wheelchair.
Severely Mentally Impaired (SMI)
You may qualify for a Council Tax discount or exemption if you, or someone aged 18 or over who lives with you:
- has a severe mental impairment confirmed by a doctor or other qualified health professional
- receives a qualifying benefit.
You will need to provide:
- a medical certificate confirming the severe mental impairment
- proof of the qualifying benefit.
The amount of any discount or exemption will depend on who else aged 18 or over lives in the property.
Apprentice Discount
You may qualify if you:
- are employed as an apprentice
- are undertaking a recognised training programme leading to an approved qualification
- earn no more than £195 a week before tax and National Insurance.
You will need to provide evidence of your apprenticeship and your earnings.
Person in detention
You may qualify for a Council Tax discount if someone aged 18 or over who normally lives in your home is detained in prison, hospital or a police station under a UK court order.
This does not apply if they are detained for non-payment of a fine or Council Tax.
People permanently living in a hospital or care home
You may qualify for a Council Tax discount or exemption if you have moved permanently into a hospital, residential care home or nursing home.
If your former home is left empty because of your move, it may also qualify for a Council Tax exemption.
Major structural repairs
You may qualify for a 50% discount for up to 12 months if your property is unoccupied, unfurnished and undergoing major structural repairs or structural alterations that make it uninhabitable.
This discount does not normally apply to:
- skimming and plastering
- bathroom and kitchen refits
- main service re-connections
- decorating/Wall tiling
- rewire
- new boiler
- damp proof course
- repointing, rendering
- roof repair i.e tiles, slates, gutters
- fireplace removal
- new windows/doors
- internal joinery/floorboards
- drives, paths and fences
- other general home improvements.
Apply for any other discount or exemption
You can't use this form to check if you qualify for a Sole Occupier Discount or Council Tax Reduction.
Completing this form takes around 10 minutes.
Supporting documentation
Upload your evidence from previous applications, but do not include evidence for Council Tax Reduction claims.
After you have submitted your application
It can take us up to 4 to 6 weeks to process the application. This may be longer during busy period. You will receive a new bill showing the discount once we have processed your application.
Please continue to pay the instalments on your current bill until then.
Discounts for young people and care leavers
Oldham Council have introduced a local discount which aims to support care leavers in their transition to independent living. Care leavers up to the age 25 who are living in the borough and are responsible for council tax will receive a 100% discount.
A property that is occupied wholly by persons under the age of 18 is exempt.
There are also discounts available for:
- 18-year-olds for whom child benefit is being paid, and
- Youth training trainees, under 25 who have an individual training plan funded by the skills funding agency or young people’s learning agency.
Apply for a young persons Council Tax discount
If you think you may be entitled to a discount contact our Council Tax team: