The following properties are exempt from Council Tax:
- halls of residence occupied by students (class M)
- shared properties where all the residents are full-time students - this includes non-British spouses of full-time students (class N)
- properties left empty by full-time students (class K)
If a non-student shares a residence with students and/or with other adults who qualify for a discount, you may still be able to get a 25% discount from your Council Tax bill.
Download the exempt property application form or the discount application form. In either case all students must complete the student status application form and supply a formal student certificate from their educational establishment.
Are you a student?
You are a student if you are:
- Enrolled for the purpose of undertaking a full-time course with a prescribed educational establishment, which:
- Lasts at least one acadmic year or if the establishment does not have academic years, for at least one calendar year.
- Requires you to undertake at least 21 hours study/tuition and or work experience for at least 24 weeks in each academic or calendar year that the course subsists.
Alternatively:
- Under 20 years of age, on a full-time qualifying course which:
- Lasts for more than three months.
- Requires you to undertake more than 12 hours per week on relevant activities for the course(s) between 8am and 5.30pm.
- It is not a course of higher education.
Alternatively:
- A Student Nurse undertaking a course which:
- Lead to registration on Parts 1 to 6 or 8 of the register maintained under section 10 of the Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Act 1979, as a first inclusion on that Register.
Alternatively:
- A foreign language assistant who is registered with the British Council as a foreign language assistant.
To assist us in determining your eligibility to student status, your prescribed educational establishment will need to supply you with a Student Certificate. The certificate must contain the following information:
- The name and address of the prescribed educational establishment by whom the certificate is issued.
- The full name of the person to whom it is issued.
- Their date of birth (where relevant).
- A statement certifying that they are following or have followed a course of education as a student or, as the case may be, a student nurse.
- The date when the person became a student or a student nurse at the establishment and the date when his course has come or is expected to come to an end.
Students enrolled with Member State institutions to undertake a full-time course will need to provide letters from their educational establishments containing the above information.
Other student-related discounts
A non-British spouse or dependent of a full-time student qualifies for a discount if they are:
- not a British citizen
- prevented by immigration regulations from taking paid employment or from claiming benefit
We will need to see proof of their immigration status. We will also need to see a student certificate for the full-time student.
Registered foreign language assistants are treated as full time students as long as they are registered with the British Council.
