Apply for a Council Tax discount if you're here under the Homes for Ukraine scheme

You will be disregarded for Council Tax if all the following apply. You are:

• a Ukrainian national
• in the UK under the Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme
• living in your own accommodation (not in your sponsors home)

In single households this will show as a 25% single person discount and 25% disregard on the bill.

In households of two or more where all residents qualify for the disregard, 50% local discount (25% disregard + 25% disregard) will show.

The maximum discount is 50% of the charge.

To apply for a discount, email [email protected] and include the following:

• address of the property
• date you moved in
• date the tenancy started
• full name and date of birth for all adults at the property
• confirmation that all occupants are here under the Homes for Ukraine visa scheme
• the share code for each adult to access their Visa information and confirm when the Homes for Ukraine Visa is ending
• If your sponsor is not registered with Buckinghamshire Council Refugee Welfare Team (i.e. you originally lived at an address in another Council area) then also provide the name and address of your sponsor

After you've applied, we'll check that you are here under the Homes for Ukraine scheme and will issue you with an updated bill if confirmed.

If you're on a low income, you can check if you're eligible for more money off your Council Tax.

From 18th February 2025 the Home Office launched the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme for Ukrainian nationals who had been granted permission to stay in the UK under either:

• Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine)
• Ukraine Family Scheme
• Ukraine Extension Scheme

The UPE can extend your visa for up to 18 months after your previous visa expires.

The discount from the Council Tax does not apply to those under the UPE Visa scheme unless all of the below apply:

1) You are in sponsor provided accommodation – e.g. you are living in a property that your sponsor owns or rents and you do not pay rent.

2) Your sponsor continues to receive “thank you” payments for being a sponsor.

We will be removing discounts from accounts as we are advised that Homes for Ukraine visas come to an end. If your discount is removed but you meet the above criteria, contact this office to advise and we will carry out checks to confirm this.

It is important that you do apply for the UPE scheme as this continues to give the permission to live, work and claim benefits here. Failure to do so will result in any claims you have being cancelled.

Further information specifically about how the UPE will affect benefits and discounts can be found online.

Guidance about applying for the UPE scheme can be found here.