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Discounts to check
| Discount | Who gets it |
|---|---|
| Single person discount (25%) | You pay council tax and live alone, or everyone else in the home is disregarded (GOV.UK) |
| 50% discount | Everyone in the home is disregarded, for example a household of full-time students who are not exempt |
| Student exemption | Everyone in the home is a full-time student. Most courses must last at least a year and involve 21 or more hours of study a week (GOV.UK) |
| Disabled band reduction | Your bill is charged at the next band down if your home has been adapted for a disabled person (GOV.UK) |
| Severe mental impairment | A 25%, 50% or 100% discount, depending on who else lives with you. You need a medical certificate |
| Council Tax Reduction | Help for people on a low income or claiming benefits, worth up to 100% (GOV.UK) |
People who don't count
Some people are "disregarded" when your council counts the adults in your home. If you are the only adult left, you get 25% off. The GOV.UK list includes:
- Anyone under 18
- 18 and 19 year olds in full-time education
- Full-time students and student nurses
- Apprentices on certain schemes, if they earn no more than £195 a week
- Live-in carers for someone who is not their partner, spouse or child under 18
- People who are severely mentally impaired
The disabled band reduction
You may qualify if your home has an extra bathroom, kitchen or other room needed by a disabled person, or enough extra space to use a wheelchair indoors. It must be the main home of the disabled person, who can be an adult or a child. Your bill drops one band, so Band D pays the Band C rate. In Band A, you get 17% off instead (GOV.UK).
Scotland and Wales
The main discounts are similar. Scotland also has a 25% single occupancy discount and a band reduction for disabled people (mygov.scot). Wales has the same 25% discount, a 50% discount when all adults are disregarded and the same disabled band reduction (Welsh Government). Council Tax Reduction in Scotland is a Scottish Government scheme that you claim from your council. In England, each council runs its own.
How to claim
Apply through your local council or the GOV.UK apply for a Council Tax discount service. You need to apply even if the people in your home are disregarded. Ask your council whether it can backdate a discount to when you became eligible. If you get a discount by mistake, tell the council. Otherwise you could be fined and asked to repay it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the single person discount automatic?
No. You need to apply to your local council, even if the other adults in your home don't count. Councils may check your details from time to time.
I live with a full-time student. Can I still get 25% off?
Yes, if you are the only other adult. Full-time students are disregarded, so you can get the 25% discount. You still need to apply.
Do students pay council tax?
Not if everyone in the home is a full-time student. The household can apply for an exemption. If a non-student also lives there, you will get a bill, but a discount may apply.
What happens if my circumstances change?
Tell your council. If a second adult moves in, the discount should stop. Keeping a discount you are no longer due can lead to a fine and a bill for the difference.
Can I get a discount and challenge my band as well?
Yes. They are separate. A discount changes how much of the bill you pay. A band challenge asks the Valuation Office Agency to change the band itself.