Students

You can get a 25% discount on your council tax if, apart from the student(s), there is only one person over the age of 18 living in the property.

For example, a single parent living in a property with an adult son or daughter who is a full-time student will get a 25% discount on their council tax.

If everyone living at a property is a full-time student, it will be exempt. This means you don't have to pay council tax for the property.

Council tax exemption only applies for the duration of your course.

If your tenancy starts before your course, you will be responsible for paying council tax between your tenancy start date and your course start date. We will send you a bill if this applies to you.

From the date your course starts until the date it ends you will be exempt if you are a full-time student for the duration of your course.

If your tenancy ends after your course, you will be responsible for paying council tax between your course end date and your tenancy end date. We will send you a bill if this applies to you.

If the property is a student hall of residence it is automatically exempt, you don't need to tell us.

Your home will be exempt if you own your own home and have left if empty to study somewhere else.

To get this exemption you must be a student, or become a student within six weeks of leaving your home, and no-one else except students were living there when you left.

If this applies to you, contact us.

If one household member (aged over 18) isn't a student, the non-student is counted for council tax and is responsible for paying the bill. The bill is reduced by 25% if, apart from the student(s), the non-student is the only other adult living in the property. The non-student may be able to get Council Tax Support to help with the rest of the bill if they have a low income.

If two or more household members (aged over 18) aren't students, there is no reduction. The non-students are responsible for paying the bill. They may be able to get Council Tax Support to help with the bill if they have low incomes.

If you are a student owner-occupier, you will be responsible for paying the council tax bill if there are non-students living in the property.

Student nurses studying academic courses at universities or colleges are classed as students for council tax purposes.

This only applies to student nurses who are studying to be included on the register for the first time. Nurses who are already on the register taking further courses are not classed as student nurses.

Foreign language assistants registered with the Education and Training Group of the British Council are classed as students for council tax purposes.

Send your certificate from the Education and Training Group with your application.

You may get a 25% discount if someone living in your property is aged under 20 and is on a qualifying course of further (not higher) education or is receiving Child Benefit.

• Apply for this discount

A non-British spouse or dependant of a full-time student may be exempt from council tax if they are not allowed to work or claim benefits in the UK due to immigration rules.

If this applies to you, contact us.