East Cambridgeshire long term empty premium

Changes to the Council Tax Long Term Empty Homes premium were approved at a meeting of Full Council in February 2024, coming into effect from 1 April 2024. This follows changes to legislation for Council Tax included in the Levelling up and Regeneration Action 2023 which amend the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

The Long-Term Empty Premium charge is applied to encourage owners of long-term empty properties to bring them back into occupation and reduce the number of long-term empty homes across the Local Authority area, helping to reduce the shortage of homes.

From 1 April 2025 it has been agreed that the Long-Term Empty Premium would be charged as follows:

  • A 100% premium where the property has been empty for 1 to 5 years, meaning that a 200% Council Tax charge is payable
  • A 200% premium where the property has been empty for 5 to 10 years, meaning that a 300% Council Tax charge is payable
  • A 300% premium where the property has been empty for 10 years or longer, meaning that a 400% Council Tax charge is payable

When a Local Authority offers any level of discount for a property requiring or undergoing works to render it habitable, and the Long-Term Empty Premium has already been applied, then we are unable to award any Uninhabitable discount. If the Uninhabitable discount has been awarded this will end once the property has been empty, unoccupied and unfurnished for 12 months.

There are certain properties where the Long-Term Empty Premium is not charged. These include an annexe being used as part of the main residence, or a property that is the sole residence of someone living in Ministry of Defence accommodation.

From 1 April 2024 East Cambridgeshire District Council do not offer any discretionary exceptions.

From 1 April 2025 Section 80 of the Council Tax (Prescribed Classes of Dwellings and Consequential Amendments) (England) Regulation 2024 prescribed a number of classes of dwellings which are excluded from the Council Tax premiums from 1 April 2025:

  • Class E – dwelling which is or would be someone’s sole or main residence if they were not residing in job-related armed forces accommodation
  • Class F – annexes forming part of, or being treated as part of, the main dwelling
  • Class G – dwellings being actively marketed for sale (12 months limit)
  • Class H – dwellings being actively marketed for let (12 months limit)
  • Class I – unoccupied dwellings which fell within exempt Class F and where probate has recently been granted (12 months from grant of probate / letters of administration)
  • Class M – empty dwellings requiring or undergoing major repairs or structural alterations (12 months limit)

There may be further exceptions should East Cambridgeshire District Council approve this at a future Full Council meeting prior to 1 April 2025.

If your property meets any of the excluded Classes then please complete our online form and select Long Term Empty and Second Homes option.