Hounslow Care Leavers to Get Full Council Tax Relief

Nothing to pay until they reach 25 years of age

Care leavers from the borough at an event in 2024. Picture: Hounslow Council

January 16, 2026

Care leavers in Hounslow look set to receive 100% Council Tax relief until their 25th birthday, bringing the borough in line with a growing number of London authorities offering extended financial support to young people transitioning out of the care system. The proposal will go before the Council’s Cabinet on 20 January, with the change scheduled to take effect from April, subject to approval of the 2026/27 budget.

The exemption would extend the current relief, which ends at age 21, to cover all care leavers up to age 25. The policy is intended to help address the challenges faced by young people leaving care, many of whom lack family financial support and face significant barriers in housing, employment and education.

According to the Cabinet report, the change is expected to affect the equivalent of around 70 Band D properties, and the cost has already been factored into the Council’s budget planning. The same report notes an improved provisional Baseline Funding Level for retained business rates income of £87.5 million, up £18.2 million on previous forecasts, and a projected increase in Council Tax collection rates from 98.0% to 98.25%.

Council Leader Shantanu Rajawat welcomed the proposal, saying, “Extending council tax relief to all care leavers up until they turn 25 is exactly the kind of decision a Labour Council should be making.

“Care leavers face greater levels of structural inequality when it comes to housing and career progression – often without the ‘bank of mum and dad’ to fall back on.”

He highlighted existing support for care leavers in Hounslow, including personal pathway plans, help with moving costs and furniture, and access to further and higher education bursaries.

Hounslow’s move follows a wider trend across London, where several boroughs have already introduced full Council Tax exemptions for care leavers up to age 25. Islington offers free Council Tax for all its care leavers until age 25, provided they meet standard eligibility criteria such as residency and previous time in care. Harrow also exempts care leavers from Council Tax until their 25th birthday, with applications processed through a dedicated care leaver policy and support from Children’s Services. Other boroughs, including Waltham Forest, list care leavers among groups eligible for Council Tax discounts or exemptions, though the specific age thresholds and criteria vary.

The direction of travel across London reflects national guidance encouraging councils to support care leavers into early adulthood, recognising that many face financial instability, insecure housing and limited family networks.