Disability reduction scheme

For more information, visit the Parkinson’s UK website (last updated July 2025).

If you qualify, this scheme reduces your Council Tax bill by 1 banding, for example from Band C to Band B, if your home has been adapted or changed in some way for someone with a substantial and permanent disability.

The scheme, which runs in England, Scotland and Wales, isn’t means-tested, so it doesn’t take into account your income or savings. You don’t have to receive any benefits to qualify either.

To qualify, your home should have at least 1 of the following:

• an additional bathroom or kitchen (which has been added for a disabled person to use)
• a room (other than a toilet, bathroom or kitchen) which is used mainly by a disabled person for treatment or therapy
• enough space in the property for a wheelchair to be used indoors (the property may have been adapted to allow wheelchair use).

Each council has its own application form for the Disability Reduction Scheme. Councils always assess eligibility through a home visit, so they can see the changes that have been made.

The reduction can be backdated to the date you made the alteration(s) to your home.

Disabled Person’s Allowance (Northern Ireland)

Disabled Person’s Allowance is Northern Ireland’s equivalent of the Disability Reduction Scheme.

It gives you a 25% discount in rates for any household where the property has been adapted or has had additional facilities added to suit a disabled person’s needs.