Commentary on Sections Schedule 7: Minor and Consequential amendments Paragraph 53(3): treatment of discretionary reductions for council tax administration purposes
154.Paragraph 53(3) of Schedule 7 amends Schedule 2 to the LGFA 1992 by inserting a new paragraph 21, in consequence of section 76.
155.Paragraph 21(2) of Schedule 2 to the LGFA 1992 provides that where an authority has made a determination of a class of case in which council tax liability is to be reduced to nil, the dwelling shall be treated as an exempt dwelling for the purposes of Schedule 2 to the LGFA 1992. Paragraphs 8, 9 and 10 of Schedule 2 to the LGFA 1992 allow regulations to be made in relation to exempt dwellings. Such regulations could also be made in relation to dwellings subject to a 100% reduction under section 76 as a result of paragraph 53(3) of Schedule 7. These could, for example, require the billing authority to notify the person who would otherwise be liable for council tax of various matters. These include the dwelling’s entry in the valuation list, any assumptions made that a 100% reduction applies, and requiring the person to notify the billing authority if he has reason to believe that the assumptions were inaccurate.
156.Where the authority’s determination is to reduce the amount payable for the class of dwellings other than to nil, the new paragraph 21(3) inserted into Schedule 2 of the LGFA 1992, provides for the dwelling to be treated for the purposes of that Schedule as if it were subject to a discount (i.e. a discount under section 11 or section 12 of that Act). Regulations may be made under paragraphs 4 and 5 of that Schedule e.g. requiring the authority to take reasonable steps to ascertain the applicability of any discounts, notify the liable person of assumptions made following such steps, requiring the taxpayer to notify it if he believes the assumptions to be incorrect. Such regulations could also be made, as a result of paragraph 53(3) of Schedule 7, in relation to discretionary reductions.