Council Tax discounts and exemptions for children and young people.

You will be exempt Council Tax if you are:

• 18-25 
• looked after by the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham 
• a resident in the borough 

You don't have to pay council tax as a care leaver, even if you live with other care leavers.  You must all be named on the same tenancy agreement and responsible for paying rent on the whole of the property that you live in.

If you are living with another person who is not a care leaver or not considered to be a ‘disregarded person’ for the purposes of Council Tax then the person you are living with will be liable to pay Council Tax and will receive a 25% discount.

To qualify for the discount, you must be responsible for paying Council Tax to Barking & Dagenham, either alone or with someone else. A House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) where the owner is liable will not receive the discount.

We will automatically award this discount to all eligible care leavers effective from 1 April 2020.

There is no application form for this discount. If you are not in receipt of this discount and believe you should be, please contact: Corporate Parents Team on 0208 227 5496 or 0208 227 2778.

Apply for Council Tax discount for child benefit

An 18 or 19 year old may be eligible for a Council Tax discount if child benefit is still payable.  If you are receiving a Council Tax discount for child benefit and your circumstances change you will need to let us know.

Apply for a Council Tax exemption for residents under 18

If you are under 18 and living alone or if all residents are under 18 in a property you may be eligible for a Council Tax exemption. The exemption will stop when the first resident at the property turns 18. A single person discount may apply thereafter if only one resident is 18.