Single Person Discount Review

You may have recently received a review letter about your single person discount, asking you to confirm that you remain the only adult living in your property. We are required to review council tax discounts because sometimes due to an oversight, people do not update us when the number of adults living at their address changes. Also, some single person discount claims may be fraudulent, and therefore must be reviewed.

If you are currently in receipt of single person discount, your entitlement may have ended if:

• Your partner has moved in.
  
• Any other person has moved in.
  
• A child in your house has turned 18.
  

The FAQs below give further information on entitlement and how the form should be completed. Please read through the information then click on the button below to complete the review.

Complete review form

Frequently asked questions

What is the purpose of the review and why do I need to respond?

The purpose of the review is to make sure that the single person discounts we have awarded are valid and that our information is up to date. We have an obligation to make sure that discounts are awarded to those who are entitled and that we remove those which are not valid.

What happens if I haven't completed the form within the 14 day deadline?

As long as the form is completed within a reasonable amount of time you will not be penalised. If the form is late, you may end up receiving a reminder letter or email. If you do receive a reminder letter, please complete the form as soon as possible to avoid your discount being withdrawn.

I still live alone, do I need to complete the review form?

Yes. If reviews are not completed, it will be assumed that your situation has changed, and the discount will be removed back to the last time we reviewed your entitlement.

No one else has moved in, but my child has turned 18, how do I complete the form?

The form asks for new occupier details and move in date. Please in this scenario complete the form with your child’s 18^th birthday as their move in date and select ‘other’ in the ‘relationship’ field.

But I thought I was still entitled to a discount if my child is a student?

Once your child turns 18, you are no longer entitled to the single person discount, however you may be entitled to an alternative discount depending on the course they are studying. Please complete the form as advised above to remove the single person discount, and send us a student certificate from their college or university. Your entitlement to the alternative discount will then be considered.

A friend stays with me three or four nights a week, does this mean I am no longer eligible?

This will depend on whether your property is considered to be their sole or main residence. Please initially complete the review form indicating no change, and provide further details in the free text box at the end of the form. Please confirm where your friend stays the other days of the week, where the majority of their belongings are kept and any other information you feel may be relevant. We will then contact you separately if we require further information.

What if I am exempt or in receipt of Council Tax Support?

If you are receiving an alternative discount or exemption, or are in receipt of council tax support, you must still complete the review. In this scenario, we are looking to establish if anyone else has moved into the property, as this may affect your entitlement to the exemption/council tax support you are receiving.

What should I do if my circumstances are not covered in the examples above?

If your circumstances are not covered, please complete the form indicating no change to your entitlement and use the free text box at the end of the form to explain your circumstances. We will then contact you separately if we require any further information to assess your eligibility.