How long can a foster carer council tax exemption last?

A foster carer council tax exemption can last for as long as the local council accepts that you meet its criteria, but the exact end point depends on that council’s policy and the decision recorded on your account. It may be granted for a defined period, reviewed at set points or linked to your continuing foster carer status.

In practice, the council may ask you to confirm that you remain approved to foster and that your circumstances have not changed. Approval does not necessarily mean the exemption continues indefinitely. You should check whether the council expects a renewal application, an annual declaration or evidence from your fostering service.

Situations that may affect the duration include:

• your foster carer approval ending, being withdrawn or being placed on hold;
• you choosing to stop fostering or transferring to a different fostering service;
• a change to the property for which the reduction or exemption was granted;
• your household circumstances changing in a way that affects the council’s criteria; or
• the council changing its local policy or reviewing the decision.

The position can be less straightforward when there is no child living with you. Some councils may continue to recognise an eligible foster carer between placements, while others may apply additional conditions. A gap between placements does not by itself establish whether the exemption continues, so ask the council how it treats that period before assuming that your bill remains reduced.

Similarly, the date of your fostering assessment is not necessarily the date from which a council tax exemption begins. Councils commonly distinguish between someone being assessed and someone who has completed approval, but the relevant rule is the one applied by the council responsible for the property. Ask whether the decision is effective from the date of approval, the date of application, a later date or another point specified in its policy.

When the council grants the exemption, keep the written decision and note:

• the property covered;
• the date the decision starts;
• any expiry or review date;
• the evidence you must provide; and
• which changes you must report.

If your circumstances change, tell the council promptly rather than relying on the exemption to end automatically. The council can then confirm whether the award should continue, be amended or stop, and whether a different council tax reduction may apply instead. If you receive a revised bill, ask for the reason in writing and check the effective date carefully.

For accurate advice, contact the council tax department of the council that bills you. A fostering adviser or your fostering service can help you understand evidence about your approval and can support you when checking how the local rule applies, but only the billing council can confirm the duration of the award on your account.