You might be entitled to a reduction in your Council Tax, or be exempt from paying Council Tax.
You might be entitled to a reduction in your Council Tax or be exempt from paying Council Tax completely.
This guide outlines Council Tax discounts and exemptions that are currently available.
If you already have a discount, you must let us know of any change of circumstances that affects your entitlement. If you fail to do so, you may have to pay a penalty.
If you are a sponsor or a Ukrainian national with a HFU visa, find out about the help you can get with Council Tax and how to apply.
The Homes for Ukraine (HFU) scheme allows sponsors in the UK to nominate a Ukrainian individual or Ukrainian family to stay with them in their home or another property.
Ukrainian nationals who are granted leave to remain through the HFU scheme will be granted a three-year visa. Later, if they wish, they may find their own accommodation but will still be covered by the HFU visa.
Sponsors will not lose their council tax discounts if they invite Ukrainian guests to stay with them under the HFU scheme.
For example, if you get a 25% discount because you are the only adult in a property, you will continue to receive the discount as the Ukrainian nationals will be disregarded.
For example, if your property is exempt because all the residents are students, then you will continue to receive this exemption even if your Ukrainian guests are not students themselves.
If your sponsor provides separate accommodation for you, for example in another property the sponsor owns but does not live in, then you will be responsible for the council tax yourself.
If all the residents have HFU visas then you will receive a 50% discount. You will be responsible for paying half the council tax on the property, but you may be able to claim an additional benefit called 'council tax support' to help you pay for this.
If a Ukrainian national has an HFU visa and the sponsorship arrangement ends, they can look for their own property to rent.
They will be responsible for the council tax themselves, but if all the residents have HFU visas then they will receive a 50% discount and they may also be able to claim council tax support.
A Ukrainian national may also be able to claim Universal Credit for support with their day to day living expenses and help with the rent.
This help with council tax only applies to Ukrainian nationals who have received a visa under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. It does not apply to other schemes such as The Ukraine Family Scheme or The Ukraine Extension Scheme.
The sponsor must provide:
If the Ukrainian national has moved to independent accommodation, they must provide evidence that they have permission to enter or stay in the UK under the HFU scheme.