main content Council tax information for students

If a property is occupied by full-time students then the occupants will be disregarded from Council Tax and there will be no bill to pay. If all the occupants are full-time students except one then the Council Tax bill will be reduced by 25%. If there are two or more non-students in a property then no student discount will be allowed.

From 1 April 2004 students who are joint owners or tenants with non-students will not be jointly and severally liable for the Council Tax with the other owner or tenants. Their names will be removed from the Council Tax account.
If the student is the only tenant or owner in a property then their name will remain on the account (even if they reside with their partner or other persons).

In order to qualify for an exemption/discount we will require a copy of a student certificate for all student occupiers. This needs to confirm the start and end date of your course and that you are attending a full-time course*. When sending us your student certificate(s) please also advise us of the total number of occupiers living in the property.

Half terms and summer holidays are treated as part of the period of the course.

Should a student finish studying one course and then start a different course no discount will be applicable for the period between the end and start date of the relevant courses.

* Full-time course: a course that lasts for at least one academic year with a prescribed educational establishment or, in the case of educational establishments which do not have academic years, for at least one calendar year. Students must also be undertaking periods of study, tuition or work experience which together amount to an average of at least 21 hours a week.