DOZENS of terminally ill people across Barnsley have already had their council tax waived as part of a new project to ease financial pressure on those who are receiving end-of-life care.
Town hall bosses opted to follow Manchester City Council’s lead in implementing a 100 per cent reduction, which means there would be no council tax to pay from the date the illness was confirmed, up to two months after the date of death.
Carried out as part of a larger plan to support the most vulnerable residents in the town, the council confirmed it has been looking at ways to help those who are struggling.
Under the proposal, the council will use an ‘SR1 document’ a form issued by clinicians who can confirm a terminal medical condition to effectively cut council tax entirely for that household.
An SR1 form is a UK medical certificate completed by a healthcare professional for someone with a terminal illness and confirms the patient is expected to die within 12 months, providing evidence for quicker access to payments and bypassing standard medical assessments, with the form often sent directly online for speed.
So far, 37 people in Barnsley have accessed support in just a handful of months.
Councillor Robert Frost, cabinet member for core services, said: “It is pleasing that we are only one two councils, along with Manchester, that have such a scheme.
“Residents can apply for the council tax reduction for terminal illness through our online application system.
“If people can’t apply online and they don’t have anyone to help them do this, we offer the option to complete the application over the phone with them.
“The 100 per cent reduction is awarded to any household where a person has been issued with a SR1 form from a medical practitioner.
“The reduction will remain in place for two months after the person
has passed away.
“To make sure that this support is effectively promoted and widely known, we have been collaborating with our public health team, Barnsley Hospital, Macmillan, Marie Curie and South
Yorkshire Integrated Care Board.
“Information regarding this support is available on our website and will soon be added to the South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board palliative care web pages, which are accessible to both the public and professionals.
“We have prepared leaflets that are included in end-of-life packs and are also available at the Macmillan Hub at Barnsley Hospital.
“Our team is actively participating in cancer nurses’ meetings and various hospital forums to further promote this support.
“We have also reached out to Barnsley Hospice to ensure that the information is available there as well.
“The figures show that our promotional efforts are yielding positive results.”
Cancer charity Marie Curie revealed one in six terminally ill people endure financial difficulty in their final months and praised Manchester and Barnsley for leading the way in axing council tax for those eligible.
A Marie Curie spokesperson added: “Barnsley is the latest council to implement the change last month, following in the footsteps of Manchester City Council who introduced a full council tax relief policy to protect terminally ill residents this summer.
“Bristol, Salford and Preston have also made firm commitments, with similar support schemes expected to go live soon in those areas.
“We applaud Manchester and Barnsley for leading the way these councils have set a powerful precedent for compassionate local governance, showing that practical policy change is possible.
“The end of a person’s life should be a time to focus on what really matters: making memories with friends and family, and living your final months, weeks and days as well as possible.
“Yet for more than one in six people who died in the UK in 2024, the last period of life was marked by financial difficulty.
“This is not just an abstract concept, in reality, it means additional stress and worry, cold homes, or social isolation at the worst possible time.
“Council changes to discretionary council tax support scheme means that any household containing someone with a terminal illness whether or not they are the billpayer will have their council tax reduced to zero upon presentation of an SR1 form.
“This support will not immediately stop upon the person’s death, but will
continue until the end of the financial year in which they die.
“We urge all councils across the country to follow suit and encourage those who have passed supportive motions to act swiftly on their commitments to make real change. No one should spend their final months worrying about bills.”
