More councils urged to exempt terminally ill people from council tax

Marie Curie is calling for more councils in England to exempt terminally ill people from council tax.

The charity has already secured commitments from 16 councils to drop the tax for people at the end of their lives and hopes more will follow.

Manchester City Council introduced council tax relief in the summer, followed by Barnsley, which brought in the change last month.

Councils in Bristol, Salford and Preston have also made commitments, with schemes expected to go live soon in those areas.

Marie Curie said 11 more councils have passed supportive motions to explore introducing a dedicated relief policy, including those in Newcastle, Wakefield, Wirral, Pendle, Newark and Sherwood, South Gloucestershire, Milton Keynes, Blackburn with Darwen, Liverpool, Burnley and Sheffield.

It now wants these councils to implement the changes soon and encourages more to follow.

The charity said an estimated 111,000 people die in poverty every year in the UK.

A terminal diagnosis can have a profound financial impact on households, often through lost income and increased energy costs, it added.

Jamie Thunder, senior policy manager at Marie Curie, said: “With a significant proportion of terminally ill people relying on benefits as their main source of income, council tax relief can be a huge support for families facing financial hardship.

“We applaud Manchester City Council and Barnsley City Council for leading the way.

“These councils have set a powerful precedent for compassionate local governance, showing that practical policy change is possible.

“We urge all councils across the country to follow suit and encourage those who have passed supportive motions to act swiftly on their commitments to make real change. No one should spend their final months worrying about bills.”

Councillor Robert Frost said: “At Barnsley Council, we’re committed to supporting residents when they need it the most.

“We’re proud of our council tax support schemes and the assistance we have in place for people that are experiencing financial hardship.

“We recognise the emotional and often financial pressure that is placed upon people and families when someone is nearing the end-of-life due to a terminal illness.

“We hope that awarding the 100% council tax reduction will help to remove some pressure from households during these extremely difficult times. As a council, we feel this is the right thing to do.”

The Local Government Association (LGA) has been contacted for comment.