Council tax may be scrapped for terminally ill people

Terminally ill people in Liverpool could be exempt from paying council tax.

The proposed policy would see a 100% discount applied if someone in a property was receiving end-of-life care, and would remain in place for two months after that person died.

To qualify for the discount, someone would need to provide an SR1 medical form, which is completed by a doctor or healthcare professional when a person has 12 months or less to live. If they live more than 12 months the exemption continues, a city council spokesperson confirmed.

If approved at a meeting on 16 December, the policy is set to be introduced from 1 January.

The council said it was aiming to ensure end-of-life care was not overshadowed by economic hardship.

"Terminal illness places significant emotional and financial strain on individuals and their families," deputy council leader Ruth Bennett said.

"We all know family and friends who have been through the trauma of the impending loss of someone close and the worry that it causes.

"Exempting them from council tax will help our residents focus on care, dignity, and quality of life during end-of-life stages when they need to focus their energies on what time they have left with their loved one."

She added: "This is part of our ongoing commitment to help support the most vulnerable in our city."

The proposal comes after Manchester City Council announced a similar policy in June, while a number of other local authorities, including Salford and Preston, are in the process of preparing to implement similar schemes, according to cancer charity Marie Curie.

In 2024, more than 100,000 people died in poverty in the UK, according to Marie Curie's Dying in Poverty report.

The charity is urging council's to review their council tax support schemes to ensure those living with a terminal illness are recognised and supported.

"The last months, weeks and days of life should be a time to focus on what really matters: making memories with family and friends and living well for as long as one can," a Marie Curie spokesperson said.

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