Redbridge Council Tax Single Person Discount: How to Claim 25% Off

If you're the only adult in your Redbridge household, you're entitled to a 25% discount on your council tax bill. It's a statutory discount — every billing authority in England must apply it — and it works independently of your income. You don't need to be on benefits or have low earnings. You just need to be the only countable adult at the address.

Who Qualifies

The single person discount applies when only one countable adult aged 18 or over lives at the property. But "only one adult" doesn't always mean you physically live alone. Certain people are legally disregarded for council tax purposes, meaning they don't count toward the household total even though they live there.

People who are disregarded include:

• Full-time students (enrolled on a course of at least 21 hours per week for a minimum of 24 weeks)
• People who are severely mentally impaired (with a medical certificate and qualifying benefit)
• Adults providing at least 35 hours of care per week to someone who is not their spouse or child
• People in detention (prison, immigration detention)
• 18- and 19-year-olds still in qualifying education or who have just left school
• Diplomats and members of visiting forces
• People resident in care homes, hospitals, or certain hostels

So if you live with your 20-year-old who's at university full-time, they're disregarded — you qualify for the single person discount. If you live with a partner who has been certified as severely mentally impaired, they're disregarded too.

Single Parents and the Discount

Single parents often qualify. If your only other household members are your children under 18, none of them count as adults for council tax purposes. The discount applies automatically once the council knows the household composition.

If you have an adult child living with you who isn't a full-time student, they count — and the discount falls away. This is where non-dependant deductions become relevant if you're also claiming Council Tax Reduction. Our post on non-dependant deductions explains how those work in Redbridge's five-tier scheme.

How to Apply

Apply for the single person discount through your Redbridge council tax online account or by contacting the revenues team. You'll need to confirm that you're the only countable adult at the address and may be asked to provide evidence — a council tax bill in your name alone, or documentation showing that other residents are disregarded (a student certificate, an SMI medical certificate, etc.).

The discount applies from the date your circumstances qualify. If you've been living alone for months but didn't apply, ask for backdating — Redbridge should apply it from the date you became the sole countable adult.

The council periodically reviews single person discounts. You may receive a letter asking you to confirm you still qualify. Respond promptly — ignoring it can result in the discount being removed and a revised bill.

Stacking the Single Person Discount with Council Tax Reduction

The single person discount and Council Tax Reduction are separate mechanisms, and you can claim both. The discount reduces your gross council tax liability by 25%. Council Tax Reduction then applies its percentage reduction to the already-discounted amount.

For example, on a Band C property with a weekly liability of £38.00:

• Single person discount reduces it to £28.50 (75% of £38.00)
• Scheme 1 CTR (73%) then applies to £28.50, giving a reduction of £20.81
• Your remaining weekly bill: £7.69

Without the single person discount, the same Scheme 1 CTR calculation would leave you paying £10.26 per week. The discount shaves roughly £2.57 off your weekly bill on top of whatever CTR gives you.

If you haven't applied for Council Tax Reduction yet and you think you might qualify, our guide to claiming CTR in Redbridge covers every scheme tier, the evidence requirements, and the one-month deadline for submitting documents.

Common Questions

Does a lodger affect my single person discount? Yes. A lodger who isn't a full-time student or otherwise disregarded counts as a second adult, and you lose the 25% discount. If you receive CTR, report the household change to Redbridge so it can assess your circumstances under the scheme.

My partner moved out — when does the discount start? From when the household has only one countable adult, provided the other residents are disregarded under the Council Tax rules. Tell the council promptly so it can update your bill.

I'm a single parent and my eldest just turned 18 — do I lose the discount? Only if they're not a full-time student or otherwise disregarded. If they're in sixth form or at university, they remain disregarded and your discount continues.

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