Council Tax - Reduction For Students

Students in certain instances may be entitled to a discount on the amount of Council Tax they pay.

Students

Two types of student accommodation are exempt from Council Tax. These are halls of residence and houses or flats where the only occupants are full-time students.

Empty properties where the person who would normally pay the Council Tax bill is a full-time student are also exempt.

Any property occupied only by a combination of people who are either severely mentally impaired or students, will also qualify for an exemption.

To count as a full-time student you must be over 18 and your studies must fall into one of three categories.

A full-time course of education at a university or college, which lasts for at least an academic year, takes at least 24 weeks a year and involves at least 21 hours of study each week during term time. This includes students on industrial placements, student nurses studying academic courses at universities and those on Project 2000.

A course which lasts for more than three months and involves at least 12 hours a week, leading to any qualification up to A level, ONC or OND standard. You must be under 20 years-old. Correspondence courses, evening classes and courses taken in connection with your job, like day-release, are not included.

Students registered as foreign language assistants with the Central Bureau for Education Visas and Exchanges.

We will need to see a certificate from your university or college with details of your course of study. If you have not sent us a student certificate you will need to get one from your university or college.

We will write to you directly if we need any more information about your full-time student status.

Multiple Occupancy

If there is someone who is not a full-time student living in the property, the liable person(s) will normally get a Council Tax bill.

It could be that this other person is also not counted for Council Tax and therefore a 50% discount may be given on the Council Tax bill.

If a student rents or owns a property jointly with other people then they are all liable for the Council Tax bill. It is up to individual joint tenants how they decide to share out the Council Tax bill.

If you live with someone who charges you rent because they own or rent the whole property they are liable to pay the Council Tax.

There is nothing to stop them charging you for Council Tax. If this happens and you think you have been overcharged for your share of Council Tax then you can challenge the increase through the Rent Officer service.

Bedsits

If you live in a bedsit that is a self-contained property, you will be charged for Council Tax.

However, if you share basic facilities with other people living in the property, your landlord is liable for the Council Tax bill on the whole property.

Benefits

Most students are not eligible for Council Tax Benefit. The exceptions are single parents, disabled students and students with a partner who is not a student.

Some other students can claim what is called a Second Adult Rebate. These are students who are liable to pay a Council Tax bill who share their homes with someone on a low income.

The other person must be over 18 and must not be paying the student rent. They cannot be married to the student or living with them as if they were married.

International Students

The same rules apply to international students as nationality does not affect your liability or means to pay Council Tax.

One exemption will be where an international student, living with their spouse who is not a British citizen. If your spouse is unable to work of claim benefits due to the terms of their leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom, there will be no Council Tax payable.

In cases where there are other occupants in the property who are non-students there will be a charge. In these cases all joint tenants or joint owners share responsibility for paying it.

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