Care Leavers Discount

The Council has introduced a local Council Tax discount scheme for care leavers.

A key priority for the Council is to support young people in care to move successfully into adult life and provide financial support and assistance to care leavers residing in Tameside who are eligible and have a Council Tax liability and are aged between 18 and 25 years old. The discount took affect from 1 September 2017.

The definition of a care leaver is:
‘Care leavers are young people who have been in the care of the local authority for at least 13 weeks after their 14th birthday and at least one day of this occurred on or after their 16th birthday. It is possible for the full 13 weeks (or more) to occur after their 16th Birthday and the 13 weeks does not have to be continuous.’

A discount of up to 100% of the Council Tax that is due is awarded to care leavers who live in Tameside aged 18 and up to the date of their 25th birthday.

The discount is to be awarded after all other discounts and exemptions have been awarded where eligible.
Where there is a shared liability for the Council Tax due the discount will only be paid to cover the share that the care leaver would be liable for.
Care leavers who are liable for Council Tax after 1 September 2017 will be granted a discount from the date they occupy the property and become liable for Council Tax.
There is discretion to backdate entitlement to the discount to 1 April 2017.

Where awarded the discount will remain in place until the care leaver reaches the age of 25 years old or ceases to be liable for Council Tax, whichever event occurs first.

The on-line application form for the Care Leavers Discount can be found at
Council Tax - Care Leavers Discount Application (tameside.gov.uk)

Alternatively, to apply please email counciltax@tameside.gov.uk, providing

your name and address
date of birth
the name of the Council that provided care under The Children’s Act 1989, Children’s Act 2004 and / or the Children and Young People Act 2008.

Further information regarding help for Care Leavers can be found at
Financial entitlements (tameside.gov.uk)