Terminally ill woman urging council tax exemption

A terminally ill woman, told she had a year or two left to live, is urging a council to exempt those nearing the end of life from paying council tax.

Cyndi D'souza, of Carlisle, has a rare form of terminal blood cancer and said she should not be faced with the bill and there should not be a "postcode lottery" depending on where people lived.

Local authorities have discretionary powers to give terminally ill people, who have less than 12 months to live, a 100% council tax discount and 30 local authorities have adopted the measure.

Cumberland Counci said people on low income already access to discounts through its council tax reduction scheme.

The 58-year-old was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in October 2025.

She was also diagnosed with systemic mastocytosis, a rare condition where excess blood cells gather in the body.

Her GP issued her with a SR1 medical report which informs agencies that someone has less than 12 months to live, to help them to fast-track benefits claims.

In some areas including in Manchester, Liverpool, and Gateshead the form can qualify terminally ill people for a council tax exemption.

However, D'souza said she was disappointed this was not the case in her area.

"If we lived elsewhere we would get free council tax - but because we live in Cumberland we don't - that can't be right.

"Where is the support for those that are facing this - the most crucial time of their life? It just isn't there," she said.

She took ill health retirement in June and said after worked all her life it was "really hard" managing paying bills and applying for benefits while terminally ill.

She also said her work pension was helping her pay council tax.

"If I hadn't had that work pension, I wouldn't be in the position I'm in.

"I'd be on benefits and I'd be worrying about how I'm going to make ends meet, how I'm going to pay for a funeral and how I'm going to pay my council tax and my rent," she said.

Cumberland Council said existing support helped residents on low incomes to access up to a 100% reduction in council tax liability.

The authority also said its council tax reduction scheme was "among the more generous forms of support available to financially vulnerable households".

A council spokesperson said: "We recognise that living with a serious or terminal illness can place significant emotional and financial pressures on individuals and their families, and we are committed to ensuring support is available to those who need it."

Westmorland and Furness Council said its council tax reduction scheme was "designed to provide support based on individual financial circumstances".

It also said it may consider a council tax discount for people with a terminal illness in the future.

Labour councillor Jeanette Whalen said she would ask the council to review and adopt a full council tax exemption measure for terminally ill residents for the 2027/28 financial year at a meeting later.

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