Evidence Needed for a Council Tax Carer Disregard

The Core Evidence Package

Every council in England sets its own application form. The legal eligibility conditions are national, but the documents a council asks you to provide can differ. A useful starting evidence package is:

1. DWP benefit award letter for the cared-for person

This is the single most important document. It must show that the person you care for receives a qualifying disability benefit — PIP daily living component (standard or enhanced), Attendance Allowance (any rate), DLA care component (middle or highest rate), Armed Forces Independence Payment, increased Constant Attendance Allowance, or a recognized Scottish award of Adult Disability Payment (daily living component) or Pension Age Disability Payment (standard or higher rate).

The letter should show the benefit name, the rate or component, and the start date of the award. The award start date is one factor in establishing how far back the council can apply the disregard.

2. Signed care declaration

A written statement — usually on the council's own form — confirming you provide at least 35 hours of care per week and that you are not the spouse, civil partner, or cohabiting partner of the person receiving care, nor a parent of a child under 18.

Most councils include this declaration as a checkbox and signature section on their application form. If you're applying by letter, include the declaration explicitly.

3. Proof of shared residence

Evidence that you live at the same address as the person you care for as your sole or main residence. Electoral register entries usually satisfy this. Alternatives: utility bills, bank statements, a tenancy agreement, or official correspondence addressed to you at the property.

4. Identity confirmation

Your full name, date of birth, and National Insurance number. Some councils also ask for the same details for the cared-for person.

What You Should NOT Need

No GP letter or medical certificate. The unpaid carer disregard under Schedule 1, paragraph 9 of the LGFA 1992 has no medical evidence requirement. A doctor's certificate is only needed for the separate severe mental impairment (SMI) disregard. If your council asks for a GP letter for a carer claim, push back — they're mixing up the two schemes.

No proof of Carer's Allowance. Carer's Allowance is a separate DWP benefit with its own eligibility rules (including an earnings cap of £204/week). You do not need to be claiming or receiving Carer's Allowance to qualify for the council tax disregard.

No income or savings evidence. The carer disregard has no means test. Your earnings, pension, savings, and capital are irrelevant.

What If You Can't Find the Award Letter

DWP award letters get lost, especially when the benefit was awarded years ago. If you don't have the original:

• Request a replacement from the DWP. Call the relevant benefit helpline — PIP: 0800 121 4433, Attendance Allowance: 0800 731 0122, DLA: 0800 121 4600. Ask for a current statement of benefit entitlement showing the start date.
• Check the cared-for person's bank statements. Regular payments from "DWP" matching the known benefit rates may help support the request, but ask the council whether it will accept them while you wait for an award letter or statement.
• Check Universal Credit journal. If the cared-for person claims UC, their online journal may show linked disability benefit awards.

Some councils accept a printout from the DWP's online benefit checker or a letter from the carer's own UC journal confirming the carer element (which confirms 35 hours of care, though the qualifying benefit must still be separately evidenced).

Additional Evidence for Employed Care Workers

The low-paid care worker route under SI 1992/552 requires a different evidence set:

• Employment contract showing weekly care hours (minimum 24)
• Payslips or financial statement confirming total weekly pay does not exceed £44
• Written confirmation from the introducing charity or local authority
• Proof the accommodation is occupied as part of the employment arrangement

For Backdated Claims: What Extra Evidence Helps

When you're claiming the disregard for past years, the council needs to be satisfied the conditions were met throughout the historical period. Strengthen a backdated claim with:

• DWP award letter showing the original start date — the further back it goes, the more years you can reclaim
• A historical care log or written timeline of when you moved in and began providing care
• Previous electoral register entries at the address
• Any earlier correspondence with the council referencing the caring arrangement

The Council Tax Carer Disregard Guide includes a printable evidence checklist you can tick off before submitting, plus a template letter for requesting replacement DWP award documentation.

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