Lewisham Council Tax Carer Discount and Disregard

Two Different Carer Reliefs, Often Confused

Carers in Lewisham can access council tax help through two separate mechanisms, and most people mix them up. One sits inside the Council Tax Reduction means test (the carer premium). The other is a status-based disregard that can qualify you for the 25% Single Person Discount even when two adults live in the property.

Getting both right can save several hundred pounds a year.

The Carer Premium in CTR

If you receive Carer's Allowance (or would be entitled to it but for the overlapping benefit rule), Lewisham includes a carer premium in your applicable amount when calculating your CTR. The applicable amount is the benchmark the council uses to decide whether your income exceeds your household's needs.

A higher applicable amount means your income is more likely to fall below the threshold, which means either no taper reduction at all or a smaller one. The practical effect: carers keep more of their CTR award.

On top of the premium, carers get an enhanced earnings disregard of £20 per week (compared to £5 for a single claimant). This protects more of your earned income before the 20% taper kicks in.

If you or your partner receive the daily living component of PIP, the care component of DLA, or Attendance Allowance, all non-dependant deductions on your CTR are also waived — even if other non-dependant adults live with you.

The Carer Disregard for Single Person Discount

This is the one people miss entirely. The 25% Single Person Discount is available when only one person counts as a resident adult for council tax purposes. Certain people are "disregarded" — not counted — even though they physically live at the property.

To qualify as a disregarded carer, you must live permanently with the person you care for and provide at least 35 hours of care each week. You must not be that person's spouse or child under 18, and they must receive a qualifying benefit such as Attendance Allowance, the highest or middle rate of DLA care, or either rate of PIP daily living component. If the only other adult in the property is the disregarded carer, the person being cared for may qualify for the 25% Single Person Discount.

This discount applies before CTR is calculated, so it reduces the base liability. The CTR 75% cap then applies to the already-discounted amount, stacking the savings.

How to Claim Both

These reliefs have different application routes:

Carer Premium in CTR: claimed automatically when you apply for Council Tax Reduction and declare your Carer's Allowance entitlement. Make sure you include your Carer's Allowance award letter in your evidence upload. If you're not receiving Carer's Allowance because another benefit overlaps with it, you may still qualify for the underlying entitlement — notify the council when applying.

Carer Disregard: apply for Lewisham's Carers' Discount using its dedicated online form. Provide evidence of the cared-for person's qualifying benefit.

What Carers Still Owe

For an eligible working-age CTR award, Lewisham's 75% cap leaves at least 25% of the net council tax liability to pay. The carer premium and any separate carer or single-person discount may reduce the amount that 25% is calculated on, but do not change the CTR cap.

If an unexpected crisis makes essential costs unmanageable, the Crisis and Resilience Fund may be relevant. For a reduction to the council tax liability itself, ask the council about a Section 13A discretionary reduction.

The Lewisham Council Tax Reduction guide explains the full carer premium calculation with the £20 earnings disregard applied, and walks through checking your decision notice to confirm the premium was included.

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