Council tax exemption for residents with terminal illness

From April, people living with a terminal illness in Cheshire West and Chester will no longer have to pay council tax after the Council agreed to introduce a local exemption, to help ease financial pressures for residents and their families.

The move supports the Marie Curie ‘Dying in Poverty’ campaign, which calls for councils across England to provide additional financial support for people approaching the end of life.

The exemption will be delivered through the Council’s Council Tax Discretionary Discounts Policy, meaning a household can receive a council tax exemption for up to 12 months where someone living there has been diagnosed with a terminal illness and issued with an SR1 form confirming they have less than 12 months to live. The exemption will begin when the SR1 form is provided to the Council and will continue for two months after the date of death.

The decision follows a motion approved by Council supporting the Marie Curie campaign and asking Cabinet to bring forward proposals to introduce the exemption locally.

Councillor Carol Gahan, Cabinet Member for Finance and Legal at Cheshire West and Chester Council, said:

“No one should have to worry about council tax bills while facing the reality of a terminal illness.

“By introducing this exemption, we are helping to ease some of the financial pressure on residents and their families at an incredibly difficult time.

“This decision reflects our commitment to supporting vulnerable residents and ensuring people can focus on what matters most – spending time with loved ones and accessing the care and support they need.”

The Council will also ensure residents who may benefit from the exemption are supported by welfare officers and made aware of other financial support available, including national benefits and local schemes such as the Crisis and Resilience Fund, the HELP scheme and Housing Payments.

Around 280 people die in poverty every day in the UK, according to Marie Curie’s Dying in Poverty report. Through its Cost of Dying campaign, the charity is calling for councils across England to review the support available for people living with a terminal illness and their loved ones.

Toby North, Head of Public Affairs at Marie Curie, said:

“We’re delighted that Cheshire West and Chester Council is among some of the first in the country to provide specific support with council tax to people facing a terminal illness.

“We now urgently need more councils to adopt a similar approach, to help more people live out their last months, weeks, and days without needing to worry about their bills.

“We hope to expand our campaign further, with more councils across England following suit to ease the financial burden on people at the end of life.”

Marie Curie says the cost of powering medical equipment at home, increased heating needs and other expenses linked to terminal illness can create significant financial pressures for households.

Residents who may be eligible for the exemption will be able to apply through the Council once an SR1 form confirming their diagnosis has been issued by a clinician.