How to Claim a Care Leaver Council Tax Discount When Your Council Has No Published Policy

If your council's website says nothing about a care leaver council tax discount, you can still apply — and the council is still legally required to consider your application. Every billing authority in England has the power to grant discretionary discounts under Section 13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. The absence of a published policy does not mean the power does not exist. The council may have an unpublished policy, consider requests case by case, or have no care-leaver scheme.

The Department for Education's "Keep on Caring" strategy recommends that local authorities consider exempting care leavers from council tax using Section 13A(1)(c). Local schemes and published information vary; some councils have no information about care leaver relief on their website, leaving young people with no idea whether relief is available or how to access it.

Step 1: Search Beyond the Council's Main Website

The council's customer-facing website may not mention the care leaver discount, but the policy may exist in other places:

Council committee minutes and executive reports. Search your council's democracy or committee pages for "Section 13A" or "care leaver council tax." A council may have approved its scheme through a cabinet or executive decision that was published in meeting papers but never added to the main website. Manchester's scheme, for instance, is documented in an executive report on the democracy pages rather than the council tax help section.

Freedom of Information disclosures. Check WhatDoTheyKnow.com for previous FOI requests about your council's care leaver council tax policy. Other care leavers, journalists, or advocacy groups may have already asked.

Your leaving-care team or Personal Adviser. Children's Services should know whether the council operates a care leaver discount, even if the revenue department's website does not mention it. The two departments are often siloed — the information exists in one but not the other.

Step 2: Make a Formal Written Application

Whether or not you find a published policy, apply in writing. Address your application to the council's Revenue and Benefits department (not Children's Services — they do not process council tax) and include:

1. Your full name, address, and council tax account reference
2. A statement that you are applying for a discretionary discount under Section 13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as a care leaver
3. Your age and the dates you were in care
4. The name of the local authority that was responsible for your care
5. A verification letter from your Personal Adviser or Children's Services confirming your care-leaver status and applicable statutory category (for example, Former Relevant Child under Section 23C of the Children Act 1989, if that category applies)

The verification letter is critical. Revenue departments reject applications when the letter is vague, missing statutory references, or unsigned by someone with authority. The letter should confirm your care-leaver category as defined by the local policy, the dates of your care, the originating local authority, and the PA's or team manager's contact details.

Step 3: What Happens After You Apply

The council must consider your application. Under Section 13A(1)(c), the billing authority has discretion to reduce the council tax of any individual — and the DfE guidance specifically recommends exercising that discretion for care leavers. The council cannot ignore your application.

Three outcomes are possible:

The council grants the discount. It may create an individual award under Section 13A(1)(c) even without a published scheme. Some councils exercise the discretion case by case rather than through a formal policy.

The council refuses. If the council refuses, it must give you a written reason. This reason is the basis for a formal written grievance or reconsideration request, followed by an appeal to the Valuation Tribunal for England if the council upholds the refusal or does not notify you within two months.

The council does not respond within two months. Under Section 16 of the LGFA 1992, if the council has not notified you within two months of receiving your written application or grievance, you can appeal directly to the Valuation Tribunal for England.

Step 4: Escalate If Needed

Written grievance or reconsideration. Send the billing authority a formal written grievance explaining why you believe its decision is wrong, citing the DfE's "Keep on Caring" guidance and the corporate parenting principles in Section 1 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017. After a written refusal, or no notification within two months, you can appeal to the VTE.

Valuation Tribunal for England. The VTE is a free, independent tribunal. It considers Section 13A appeals on their merits and may substitute its view for the authority's. If the council has no published policy and refused without considering relevant factors (such as the DfE guidance, the applicant's age, or the corporate parenting duty), explain that in your appeal.

Contact your local councillor or the council leader. Elected members have direct influence over discretionary policies. A written request from a councillor asking why the council has no published care leaver scheme can accelerate policy creation. This is a political route, not a legal one, but it has prompted several councils to formalise their schemes.

Who This Is For

• Care leavers whose council's website mentions nothing about a Section 13A(1)(c) care leaver discount
• Care leavers who searched the council's pages and found only generic council tax information with no care leaver mention
• Personal Advisers or support workers who cannot find any published scheme for their young person's billing authority
• Foster carers helping a care leaver set up a tenancy in an area with no visible care leaver council tax policy
• Advocacy groups mapping council provision across England and finding gaps in published policies

Who This Is NOT For

• Care leavers whose council has a clear, published scheme with an online application form — use that form directly
• Anyone behind on council tax or facing enforcement — contact StepChange or Citizens Advice for free debt advice first
• Care leavers in Scotland or Wales — both have national statutory exemptions that apply regardless of local policy

The Reality

England has no national statutory council tax exemption for care leavers. The DfE has encouraged local authorities to consider relief under Section 13A(1)(c), but local policies and published information vary. A council with no website information may have an unpublished policy, consider requests case by case, or have no care-leaver scheme. The statutory power exists whether or not a council has adopted a scheme, but an application does not guarantee an award.

The Council Tax for Care Leavers in England guide includes a policy comparison worksheet designed for exactly this situation — a structured framework for extracting the key provisions from your council's scheme (or confirming none exists), along with application templates and the formal challenge pathway for councils that refuse.

The free route — searching committee minutes, contacting your PA, and applying in writing — works. It requires persistence, especially when the council's systems are not set up to handle applications they did not anticipate. The critical step is applying formally in writing. Once the council has a written application citing Section 13A(1)(c), it cannot pretend the power does not exist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a council legally refuse to have a care leaver council tax scheme?

Technically, yes. Section 13A(1)(c) gives councils the power to reduce council tax — it does not require them to create a scheme. However, the DfE's guidance under "Keep on Caring" strongly encourages all councils to exercise this power for care leavers, and the corporate parenting principles in the Children and Social Work Act 2017 require councils to have regard to care leavers' needs. A council that refuses without considering these factors could face a successful VTE appeal on the grounds that it failed to take relevant considerations into account.

What if the council says it does not have the budget?

Budget pressure is a factor councils can consider, but it is not an automatic justification for refusing all applications. The VTE has found that councils must consider individual circumstances — a blanket refusal based solely on budget without assessing the individual case may not survive an appeal. The DfE has also argued that the cost of care leaver exemptions is small relative to overall council tax income, and that the downstream savings (preventing debt, enforcement costs, and housing instability) outweigh the revenue loss.

Should I submit a Freedom of Information request to find out if a policy exists?

It can help. Submit an FOI request asking: (1) whether the council has a Section 13A(1)(c) discretionary discount policy for care leavers; (2) if so, for a copy of the policy; (3) the date it was adopted; and (4) how many care leavers have received the discount in the current and previous financial years. The usual response time is 20 working days, although exceptions can allow extra time. The response tells you what you are working with — and if the council has a scheme it has not published, the FOI response gives you the document to base your application on.

How long does a Valuation Tribunal appeal take?

The VTE's current published estimate for council tax liability appeals is about 9 months from appeal form submission to decision. The appeal is free to lodge and you do not need a solicitor. The process may be a paper-based or remote hearing. While waiting for the VTE decision, the council tax liability stands — you should continue making payments or negotiate a payment arrangement to avoid enforcement action. The VTE considers Section 13A appeals on their merits and may substitute its view for the authority's.

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