Council Tax when living in two locations

dvs

Hi there

I currently live in the south in a property with two adults (me and another). I am going to be working in the midlands 5 days a week. I plan to stay in a property on my own. I assumed that living in a property 4/5 days a week, I would be paying 75% council tax in the midlands whilst the other adult I live with in the south would be paying 75% (with single person discount).

However, the council in the south says that I will be regarded as living in the south because that is where I come 'home' to at the weekends. I've checked this out and the guidance indicates that this is true but it doesn't say what happens to the second property.

Why should I pay for council tax in the midlands if the law says I live in the south? It seems unfair that we will be paying 175% council tax (assuming I can get single person discount in a property I don't legally call home). I accept that 150% would be fair (i.e. we both get single person discount).

Any advice?

Mallotum_X

Dont tell the council you are coming home at weekends.

Pay the 75% in both place, and ,make sure you are on the electoral register only at the midlands address. Change your post etc so you regard that place as home and weekend place as where you visit. Probably not the official way to do things but why tell the council and make it complicated

agrinnall

It may be unfair but the only way to get it changed would be for parliament to change the law, and don't hold your breath for that to happen. When I was living in two places a few years ago I was fortunate that I got the 50% second home discount that was allowed then, but that's long gone. I believe some councils may still offer a 10% discount on a second home, but most have scrapped it to keep CT rises lower for the majority.

CIS

The property at which you are living whilst working will be charged as a 2nd home but as agrinnall has pointed out most councils have removed any discount for a second home.

If you can show that the 2nd home is required for work purposes either for reasons of personal security or because its contractual then you can claim a 50% discount (this can't be reduced by the local authority).

agrinnall

That's interesting, I didn't know about the mandatory discount for a required second home. It would never have been any help to me but I wonder if many of the people it does apply to are aware of it?

Fire_Fox

Discounts are changing in some areas from April, check the council website. If the person in the south is your spouse or life partner or you are named on the mortgage/ deeds/ tenancy agreement you will really struggle to prove you are not officially resident there.

If you want to try you will need to change all your mail over, shift all your personal belongings, just keeping odd bits of seasonal clothing and toiletries in the south, not be shopping for groceries together nor sharing the bills on the house in the south. Basically behaving as a guest/ visitor not a resident or couple who are 'living together as man and wife'. Making a false declaration is tax evasion so be very careful.

CIS

That's interesting, I didn't know about the mandatory discount for a required second home. It would never have been any help to me but I wonder if many of the people it does apply to are aware of it?

Most people wouldn't meet the criteria - http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/3011/schedule/made

dvs

Thank you all for all your comments.

My job will require that I am within 30 minutes for on call duties (and this is specified in my contract). I'll do a bit of research with the two councils and update you when I know.

lincroft1710

The discount CIS refers to is usually only applicable to dwellings such as a school caretaker's house/bungalow in school grounds, pub landlords/managers living over the pub, and houses of certain farm workers who are required to live in a farm worker's cottage on the farm, e.g. herdsman.