Hammersmith & Fulham (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Hammersmith & Fulham Council has announced a one-year council tax discount for military veterans in a move to support ex-service personnel in the borough.
As reported by My London, the council is giving local veterans a council tax rebate in honor of VE Day. Veterans who have a valid HM Armed Forces Veterans Card by May 31 can receive a 25% discount for the 2026–2027 billing period, according to Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
Veterans with two or fewer adults residing on the same property are the only ones eligible for the program.
It occurs as the council gets ready to host an event in Ravenscourt Park in Hammersmith on Saturday, May 10, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.
Councillor Rowan Ree, cabinet member for finance and reform, said:
“Freedom does not come free of charge. This tax cut is a small but fitting way to honour our veterans, who were prepared to pay the ultimate price in defending this country, for which the whole borough is immensely grateful.”
The council claims that General Montgomery and others prepared the Normandy Landings in the boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham. In front of Prime Minister Winston Churchill and King George VI, those blueprints were shown to General Eisenhower on May 15, 1944, at the location of the former St. Paul’s School on Hammersmith Road.
White City was selected by NATO in 2022 to house the Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) team. Veterans Aid CEO Professor Hugh Milroy OBE PhD told the Local Democracy Reporting Service:
“I welcome any initiative to support veterans and I am delighted that Hammersmith and Fulham Council are leading the way with such an initiative.”
Major Rudy Vandaele-Kennedy, of the Hammersmith and Fulham-based Coldstream Guards regiment, said:
“The veterans in the Hammersmith & Fulham community have given much for the benefit of our country and our people. They have made many sacrifices and done things for the benefit of others and put the needs of others before themselves.
This is a strong recognition of their service which will be much appreciated by them and will help them as well.”
As a signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant, the West London council pledges to help service members, veterans, and their families through projects, policies, and services.
The council is hosting a week-long celebration to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, which will end on Saturday, May 10, with a free family fun day in Hammersmith’s Ravenscourt Park.
How can veterans in Hammersmith & Fulham apply for the council tax discount?
A current HM Armed Forces Veterans Card that is valid until May 31, 2025, is required of applicants.
Only properties with two or fewer adults residing there are eligible for the discount.
For the application form and instructions on submitting proof of eligibility, veterans should get in touch with the council’s council tax department or visit the council tax reductions and exemptions area of the official Hammersmith & Fulham Council website.
Send in a copy of your eligible Veterans Card and any further paperwork the council specifies.
To get the discount for that year, make sure the application and supporting documentation are turned in before the deadline, which is typically before the 2026–2027 billing period begins.
Veterans can contact the council’s customer service for help.