Council Tax discounts and disregards

Students and young people

Students

A full-time student must be undertaking a university or college course for one academic year. This means studying for 24 weeks per year for at least 21 hours per week.

Students under the age of 20 only need to be registered for more than 3 months for 12 hours per week.

Applicants need to complete a form to give details of who lives in the property.

A Council Tax Student Exemption Certificate is needed for all full-time students. These are available from the administration office of the college or university.

You may qualify for a student nurse discount if you are employed as a student nurse and taking a course that will lead to registration.

If you have a non-British spouse or dependant living with you who is not a student, your student discount or exemption may still apply. They must have a visa which prevents them from taking paid employment or claiming benefits.

Apprentices and Youth Trainees

To qualify for the discount you must be -

  • employed to learn a trade, business, or profession
  • doing training that leads to an accredited qualification
  • receiving a salary or allowance that is £195 or less per week, before deductions

or

  • be under 25 and receiving training through arrangements made under the Employment and Training Act 1973
  • be doing training funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency

18 and 19 year olds

People aged 18 and 19 may be able to claim a discount on their council tax if -

  • they are enrolled on a further education course for more than 3 months. They must be studying for more than 12 hours per week
  • their parent or guardian is entitled to claim Child Benefit for them. Or would be if the young person was not in local authority care

If you claim this discount and then leave school or college after 30 April, there is a further discount for the period between the end of your course and the following 1 November. This is even if you start work during this time.