Information and guidance about informing us if someone has passed away.
If you need to report the death of a council tax payer, or another adult member of a household, you will need to notify us so that we can update our records.
If you lived with the person who has died and you are now the only adult in the household, we will update the account details so that the account is in your name only and the 25% single person discount will be applied to your account. Please complete the single person discount form providing as much detail as possible.
Apply for single person discount
We will send you a new bill confirming the change, unless we need to contact you for more information.
If the property was occupied by more than two adults and one person has died, we will transfer the council tax account into the names of the remaining owners or occupiers.
We will send a new bill with the updated names, unless we need to contact you for more information.
When a property has been occupied by one person only, the property is exempt from council tax for as long as it remains unoccupied, until probate is granted.
Following the grant of probate, a further six months’ exemption is possible as long as the property remains unoccupied and has not been sold or transferred to someone else.
It is important that the executor(s) inform the council tax team of:
If the property was rented, the 100% exemption will last until the date the tenancy ends or for six months after probate is granted - whichever comes first.
If the owner of a property dies whilst the property is unoccupied, the 100% exemption will apply until probate is granted, and for a further six months after probate is granted.
If the owner of a property dies whilst the property is occupied by tenants, relatives or any other persons, and the property then becomes empty, this exemption will not apply.
Once you have told us the details, we will send a revised bill.
Your bill will tell you what your new instalments will be.
If the account is in credit then a credit notice will be issued so that you can claim a refund.