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Lone Pensioner Allowance for home owners

Ratepayers aged 70 or over and living alone may be entitled to a 20 per cent reduction in their rates.You can find information below on eligibility and how to claim.

Do you qualify for Lone Pensioner Allowance?

To qualify for Lone Pensioner Allowance you must:

  • be aged 70 years old or over
  • live alone (you may still be entitled if you live with a carer or others)
  • pay rates

If someone else lives with you, you may still be entitled to the allowance, subject to certain conditions, for example, if they are providing care to you and are not a disqualified relative.

The allowance is not means tested, which means that you do not need to provide information about your income or savings to be eligible. It can also be claimed on top of any other benefits such as Housing Benefit or Rate Relief.

How to claim Lone Pensioner Allowance

If you own and occupy your home you must apply through Land & Property Services (LPS). You must apply for the allowance in the first instance. Once the allowance has been awarded, it will be applied to your rate bill every year, so there is no need to re-apply.

To apply, you must submit an application form. You can download the form using the link below. The form is writeable, which means that you can either print the necessary details and then print it off, or download the form first and complete it. The completed form should then be signed and returned to the address shown at the bottom of the form:

You can also get a form by: contacting LPS as follows:

Or by writing to:

Land & Property Services
Lone Pensioner Allowance
Lincoln Building
27 - 45 Great Victoria Street
Malone Lower
BELFAST
BT2 7SL

Important Information

If you apply for help, you must still pay your rate bill while your application is being assessed. If your application is successful LPS will refund the amount you have overpaid or credit the amount due to your account.

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