Providing and receiving care

Carers

To qualify as a carer, you must provide care or support for at least 35 hours a week to another person who lives with you. This person must not be your partner, spouse or a child aged under 18.

The person being cared for must also be entitled to one of the following benefits:

• A higher rate of attendance allowance
• The highest rate of the care component of disability living allowance
• An increase in the highest rate of disablement pension
• An increase in constant attendance allowance

Care workers

To qualify as a care worker, you must be employed to provide care or support for someone for at least 24 hours per week and be paid no more than £44 a week to do so.

You must be employed by one of the following organisations or be employed by the person you care for but have been introduced to him or her by one of the following organisations:

• Plymouth City Council
• The Government
• A charitable organisation

You must live in premises provided by your employer to help you perform your work.

Discounts

A full council tax bill assumes there are two or more adults (people aged 18 or over) living in a property as their main home.

If there is one adult we reduce the bill by 25 per cent.

Sometimes we can still give a discount even if there is more than one adult because we do not count certain people when we look at how many adults live in the property. If you qualify as a carer or a care worker we will not count you.

If we count less than two adults living in your property, we will reduce your bill.

Exemptions

Some homes are exempt from council tax. This means council tax is not payable while the exemption lasts.

You will not have to pay council tax if your circumstances match one of the following:

• The home is left empty by a person who is receiving care
• The home is left empty by a patient living in a hospital, nursing home or care home. You must be receiving care or treatment and have no plans to move back to the house
• The home is left empty by the person who is providing care

Applying for an exemption or discount

Exemptions and discounts are not automatic. If you think you qualify for an exemption or discount, please contact us on the details in the right hand column and we will send you the right application form. We may ask you to provide proof and we may inspect your home.

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