Council Tax Carer Disregard Letter Template: What to Write and When

Why a Written Claim Matters

Councils accept carer disregard applications through online portals, paper forms, or telephone-assisted submissions. If the online system doesn't have a carer disregard option, or if you're backdating a claim for previous years, a letter gives you a written record and a way to set out the relevant dates and evidence.

A written claim also creates a paper trail. Keep copies of what you submit and the council's response. If you need to challenge the decision, these records help show what you claimed and when; follow up phone conversations in writing.

What Your Carer Disregard Claim Letter Needs

Your letter should include seven things. Missing any of them will delay the process, because the council's revenues team will write back asking for whatever's absent.

1. Your council tax account reference — the 8-to-10-digit number on your bill
2. The full name and address of the property
3. The carer's full name, date of birth, and National Insurance number
4. The cared-for person's full name
5. The qualifying disability benefit they receive — PIP Daily Living, Attendance Allowance, DLA middle or highest rate care, Armed Forces Independence Payment, or Constant Attendance Allowance
6. A statement that the carer provides at least 35 hours of care per week and lives at the same address
7. A statement that the carer is not the spouse, civil partner, or cohabiting partner of the person receiving care — and, if caring for their child, that the child is 18 or over

Attach the DWP award letter and proof of shared residence, such as an electoral register entry, utility bill, or bank statement. You don't need a GP letter — the unpaid carer disregard under Schedule 1, paragraph 9 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 is based on benefit receipt, not a medical certificate. If the council asks for one, that's an error on their part.

Structure for a New Claim Letter

Address it to the council tax team (not "Dear Sir/Madam" — find the actual department name on your council's website). Then:

• Opening sentence: state that you are applying for a council tax carer disregard under Schedule 1, paragraph 9, LGFA 1992 and Article 3, Council Tax (Discount Disregards) Order 1992 (SI 1992/548)
• Body: the seven items listed above, laid out clearly with each on its own line
• Evidence list: name every document you're attaching (e.g., "Enclosed: DWP PIP award letter dated 14 March 2025")
• Closing: ask for written confirmation of the revised bill and the effective date of the discount

Keep it factual. You don't need to argue your case or explain your caring situation in detail — the statutory test is mechanical: residence, 35 hours, qualifying benefit, relationship exclusions. The council checks the boxes; it doesn't weigh your personal circumstances.

Structure for a Backdating Request

If you've been eligible for months or years without claiming, you can ask the council to backdate the disregard. There's no fixed national time limit — councils often cite six years under the Limitation Act 1980, but Regulation 14 of the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992 (SI 1992/613) requires billing authorities to correct demand notices for any period where the statutory conditions were met.

Your backdating letter should include everything in the new-claim letter, plus:

• The start date you're claiming from — the date all eligibility conditions were first met, including shared residence, at least 35 hours of care per week, a qualifying benefit, and an eligible relationship
• An explanation of why the claim wasn't made sooner — this isn't legally required, but councils process faster when they understand the gap
• A request for a refund rather than a credit — under Regulation 24 of SI 1992/613, you can ask for a cash refund instead of having the overpayment held against future bills

If the qualifying benefit was awarded retrospectively by the DWP, include the effective start date from the award letter. The carer disregard backdating can align with the benefit start date, not the date the DWP letter arrived, if the other eligibility conditions were also met from that date.

How Long the Refund Takes

Councils don't have a fixed statutory deadline to process disregard applications, but most issue a decision within 21 to 28 days. Backdating claims can take longer when the revenues team needs to recalculate multiple years.

Once approved, the revised bill arrives first. If you asked for a cash refund, contact the council for its expected payment date. If nothing arrives, chase the council in writing so you have a record.

When to Challenge a Council Decision

If the council rejects your claim, you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal for England under section 16 of the LGFA 1992 within two months of the decision. If it does not respond within two months, you can appeal within four months of first contacting the council. The tribunal appeal is free.

For your records, keep the date of the original application, the council's decision (or the date you first contacted it if it did not respond), and the specific statutory provisions you believe the council has misapplied. Our Council Tax Carer Disregard Guide includes the full appeal workflow and a correspondence tracker to keep deadlines straight.

Practical Tips

• Send by email and post — email gives you a timestamp; post gives you proof if the council claims they never received it
• Keep copies of everything you send and receive
• Quote the statutory references (LGFA 1992 Schedule 1 para 9, SI 1992/548 Article 3) — revenues officers process hundreds of discount types, and citing the law steers your claim to the right category immediately
• Don't wait for the online form to be fixed — if the portal doesn't accommodate a carer disregard, a letter to the revenues team gives you a way to set out your claim in writing

If you're unsure what to include or need the full claim workflow with worked examples for different household setups, the complete guide walks through every step from first application through backdating and appeals.

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