Discretionary reduction

What is a discretionary reduction?

A discretionary (or Section 13A) Council Tax reduction is a short-term discount the council can give in exceptional circumstances.    

The reduction in your Council Tax can apply to both occupied and unoccupied properties.  These reductions are not guaranteed and are funded directly by the council. Each case is considered individually, and the decision is entirely at the council's discretion.

Before you apply

To be considered for a discretionary reduction, you must:

• Have taken all reasonable steps to resolve the issue causing your financial difficulty
• Check whether you are eligible to apply for Council Tax Support
• Check whether you are eligible to apply for any other Council Tax discounts, reductions and exemptions 

Apply for Council Tax reduction 

You will need to provide: 

• An explanation as to why you are in arrears with your Council Tax. That it is for a genuine reason and not simply because you have chosen not to pay
• Evidence of your situation and of what you have done to try and resolve the problem(s) 
• If you are applying because of financial problems, you will also need to tell us about your income and about what you spend
• If you are applying because of fire or flood damage, you will need to send details of the damage plus evidence such as reports, photographs, and written confirmation from your insurance company that they will not cover the Council Tax of your home

For further information or to apply for this reduction:

• Email - [email protected].  Please use "Discretionary reduction" as the subject line followed by your account number set out like this <12345678>
• Write to - Sunderland City Council, Council Tax Section, City Hall, Plater Way, Sunderland, SR1 3AA
• Phone - by speaking to our Home and Money team

After we have received your application

We will look at the information you have given us and come back to you if we need more details. Once we have everything we need, your application will be determined by our Senior Council Tax Officers .

You must keep paying your Council Tax while you wait to hear from us. If the manager agrees to give you the reduction, you will get a new Council Tax bill to confirm the change. If they decide not to give you the reduction, we will tell you what you can do if you want to challenge the decision.