Council Tax and the Homes for Ukraine scheme

The government has set out guidelines to help protect Council Tax payers who are hosting people from Ukraine.

The information below only applies if you’re hosting refugees from Ukraine who have permission to stay in the UK under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Discounts and exemptions under the Homes for Ukraine scheme

25% single person discount

If you're the only adult aged 18 or over living in your property and are receiving the 25% single person discount, then you'll continue to receive the same discount.

The refugees from Ukraine you're sharing your home with will be disregarded for Council Tax purposes.

Occupied properties that are exempt

If you're receiving an exemption for any of the reasons below and are sharing your home with refugees from Ukraine, you'll continue to receive the exemption.

Class N: occupied only by students
Class S: occupied only by people under 18 years old
Class U: occupied only by people who are severely mentally impaired

Empty properties that are exempt

If you're receiving an exemption for any of the reasons below and you let your property to refugees from Ukraine, you'll continue to receive the exemption.

Class B: owned by a charity and unoccupied for less than 6 months
Class D: left empty by someone who is in prison or detained
Class E: left empty by someone who has moved into a hospital or care home
Class F: left empty where the former owner has died, and awaiting grant of probate
Class H: left empty awaiting occupation by a minister of religion
Class I: left empty by someone who lives elsewhere to receive personal care
Class J: left empty by someone who has moved out to provide personal care
Class K: left empty and owned by a student
Class L: repossessed property
Class Q: left empty by bankrupt individual
Class T: unoccupied property forming part of an annex that cannot be let separately

Empty properties where you're paying the full rate of Council Tax

If you're paying the full rate of Council Tax for an empty property and you let your property to refugees from Ukraine, the Council Tax will be issued in the name of the residents.

The residents will be eligible for a 50% reduction and we will write off the remaining 50%. This means that residents will not need to pay any Council Tax.

Tenancies for refugees from Ukraine

Once a refugee from Ukraine leaves the Homes for Ukraine scheme and takes on a formal tenancy of their own, they'll be made liable for Council Tax and will receive a 50% reduction for up to 36 months. Those who struggle to pay may be eligible for Council Tax Support or a discretionary reduction.

For more information on the support available, see our pages on getting help to pay your Council Tax.

Contact us

If you’re hosting or letting a property to refugees from Ukraine, you must let us know so that we can adjust your Council Tax.

Make sure you include:

the address of your property
your Council Tax account number
names of the refugees
the date the refugees moved in
any documentation to support that they have permission to enter or to stay in the UK under the Homes for Ukraine scheme
any of the Council Tax discounts or exemptions above that apply to you

Email this information, with your property address or Council Tax number as the subject, to council.tax@stockport.gov.uk.

If you have entered the country under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, and need to apply for the discount on a property you have rented privately or purchased, you must let us know so we can adjust your Council Tax.