Its best to inform your council as early as possible and not run the risk. As a student, you may be eligible for council tax exemption, which means you won't have to pay council tax at all! Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. Special rules apply where you live only with your non-British spouse, partner or dependant. Your ideal student home & a flight ticket awaits. Firstly, you may be able to apply for a council tax discount as a student. The usage is intended to promote, identify and search. We check and review all claims for a discount. The property must be your main or sole residence. We will also contact the college or university to verify student status. Accepted file types: Word (docx), Acrobat (pdf), Excel (xlsx), Plain text (txt), We also accept photos taken on phones and tablets and the following image file types - jpeg, gif, png, There is a maximum individual file size per document of 50MB. If you have questions and want to have a better understanding of council tax, you are welcome to contact the, As an alternative, you can look into applying for a, Local authorities can choose how to operate this benefit, which means that having local knowledge tailored to your particular authority is much better, so we advise seeking out local support in your area using, If you considering doing this, you are best to seek advice before proceeding and contact the, Valuation Tribunal L V-S and Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames 21/03/2019. Combine big-city buzz and beautiful countryside at Bedfordshire. You can get a Council Tax exemption if your property is occupied or unoccupied. We can only represent your status and information as it is at the date of issue, i.e. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. If you're a student and have been enjoying council tax exemption, it's important to be aware of when it ends. Please complete all fields marked *. Its important to keep in mind that you must inform your local council as soon as your student status changes to avoid any unnecessary charges and have a proper hold on your debt management. Manage your housing benefits account. As the full-time student, youre disregarded when counting the number of eligible adults in the property for discount purposes. Check that you meet all eligibility criteria before applying. We will liaise with your department directly to confirm the dates of your study on current or past modules within the current academic year. Council tax is typically invoiced annually, but you may request monthly bills if preferred. Review of your housing benefit claim : If you have received a letter asking you to complete a review . The credit value will have an equivalent number of notional study hours, and this is what we use to calculate how many hours of study per week you are expected to be doing. Guide to Council Tax Exemption for Students, The Ultimate Guide To Student Discounts in USA, 20 Tips On How To Save Money As A Student, manage finance as an international student, Evidence that you live in student accommodation, such as a, Proof of your income, if you have any, such as a. If you or someone you live with is liable to pay council tax, you might be able to get help. When sharing a house with fellow students, ensuring everyone is splitting the council tax bill equally is important as it helps manage finance as an international student. It is your responsibility to update your local authority with information which may affect your eligibility if your situation changes (if exemption is granted). You can also get the exemption if a property is lived in by students and dependents from outside the European Economic Area, who have an immigration restriction on taking up work or claiming benefits while in the UK. So, let's debunk some of the most common myths and set the record straight. Filter from hundreds of universities based on your preferences. Council Tax reductions and discounts | Brent Council We will either update your bill or let you know why we cannot. Apply for a council tax band reduction for physically disabled people What does it mean to have power of attorney? You might have difficulty proving youre a student for council tax purposes if your study, tuition or work doesnt take place on the university or college campus or youre in the thesis writing up stage of your course. A statement confirming you are studying as a distance learning student, and that this is considered part-time by the university, Your overall course start and expected end dates, The module you are currently studying and the start date, Any other modules you have already studied, An explanation of how many weeks you have studied or are expected to study, and a calculation of the expected study hours per week. To work out who is liable to pay the council tax, according to the Citizens Advice Bureau, the government uses a hierarchy system: 1. The halls of residence exemption Council tax is not payable in relation to prescribed list of 'exempt' buildings. Studying any courses up to A Levels and are under 20. Understanding council tax is important because it can significantly impact your finances. If you're sharing a house with other students, you need to make sure that everyone is splitting the council tax bill fairly. The owner of the property is liable to pay council tax if you live in a house in multiple occupation (HMO). This might mean that whoever does have to pay the council tax can get a discount. For council tax purposes, a property is likely to be an HMO if its occupied by: If you receive a council tax bill but you don't think you should have, you can apply for an exemption. Council tax help Ealing My Account Register or sign in to My Account and complete the online enquiry form. Student accommodation is exempt from council tax - except when it is Empty properties, unoccupied properties and second homes Your feedback will help us give millions of people the information they need. Students living in halls of residence are exempt from paying council tax. Discover hundreds of different career options. This is not true only eligible students are exempt. You could also buy second-hand items, which are often much cheaper than new, or take advantage of free or low-cost activities in your local area. Youre offline. Council tax discounts and exemptions | Ealing Council Council tax is a tax paid by households in the UK to help fund local services, such as trash collection, road maintenance, and the police force. To gain a full council tax exemption, a household must be occupied entirely by full-time students. Thank you, your feedback has been submitted. A council tax certificate issued from the college or university for each student, confirming: Please send evidence confirming the status of any non-EEA dependents living in the property. One common myth is that all students are automatically exempt from paying council tax. Please check the exemptions for unoccupied properties before you apply for this discount.. 2023 Uni Compare Ltd. All rights reserved. Households where everyone is a student do not have to pay council tax and can apply for an exemption. To claim council tax exemption, contact your local council to get a form for your doctor to sign. Full-time student nurses on academic courses and foreign language assistants also qualify. Issuing you with a letter does not mean you are eligible or that you will be granted exemption. You can also upload any other documents which support your claim. | Ealing Council Council tax for students This advice applies to England Your property is 'exempt' from council tax if it's only occupied by full-time university or college students. Double-check everything before submitting your application to avoid errors. By taking these steps, you can ensure that you can enjoy the benefits of student council tax exemption and reduce your financial burden during your studies. Portal- Create New Case Ealing My Account A council tax certificate issued from the college or university for each student, confirming: Please send evidence confirming the status of any non-EEA dependents living in the property. It can get trickier still, if there is a house of full-time students but there is one who is not a full-time student, then, unfortunately, they will have to pay the council tax themselves, although they will get a single person discount of 25%. Council tax Council tax discounts and exemptions Occupied properties Apply for a sole adult discount If only one adult lives in the property as their main home, the bill may be reduced. Housing and council tax | Ealing Council Essential maintenance: Sunday 23 April Discretionary housing payments, Ukrainian payment applications and My Account council tax and benefits will. Plenty of students feel that they do not need to inform their local councils of council tax, but those are the ones that end up paying. It may take longer if we are waiting for a reply from the college or university. A resident who lives in the property and is a licensee this means theyre not a tenant but have permission to stay there. Some people are not included (disregarded) when we count the number of adults living in a property. We check all claims for student reductions against internal and external records. You dont have to pay if youre under 18. So, let's debunk some of the most common myths and set the record straight. You have accepted additional cookies. A property may be exempt from council tax if a student (or students) has left a property they own or rent, so that they can study. Normally require at least 21 hours of study, tuition or work experience per week during term time. Make sure you're all clear on how the payments will work, and keep track of what everyone owes.. Short term empty and unfurnished homes If you do get a bill, you can apply for an exemption. Let's be real; managing finances as a student can be tough. As a student, its important to take advantage of every opportunity to reduce your living costs; council tax exemption is one of the most significant ways to do that. However, keeping your landlord and rental agent in the loop regarding your exemption status is important to avoid any confusion or misunderstandings about who is responsible for paying the council tax. From paying for textbooks to buying endless cups of coffee to keep us going through those late-night study sessions, it can seem like our money disappears in the blink of an eye. To count as a. This is a read only version of the page. By knowing whether or not you are eligible for council tax exemption, you can avoid unnecessary expenses and save money to spend on things that matter to you (like exploring new cafes in your area). A full council tax bill is based on at least 2 adults living in a property. Involves at least 21 hours of study per week. 4. All rights reserved. Benefits and financial support | Ealing Council As you may or may not know, moving into student accommodation is likely to incur council tax student charges. Households where everyone is a student do not have to pay council tax and can apply for an exemption. It's easy to fall for these myths and end up with a surprise council tax bill. Registered charity number 279057 VAT number 726 0202 76 Company limited by guarantee. Some councils can be lenient on you not letting them know straight away, but why take the risk? Ealing landlord portal. Advice can vary depending on where you live. In conclusion, student council tax exemption is an incredibly valuable benefit for students in the UK. You canapply for a council tax exemptionon GOV.UK. In order to apply for this reduction, if you are studying at the University of Reading you must provide your Student ID number. 1 or more tenants who each have their own tenancy agreement. This means we cannot determine if you definitely are or are not eligible. With student council tax, there is a fair amount that students won't have been told before they go to university, so weve put together a useful guide on student council tax. Name and address of the college or university, Full name of the student and date of birth, Details of course i.e. We use some essential cookies to make this website work. And in case youre wondering, if youre a student, you are still exempt from paying even during the summer holidays and youll continue to be exempt so long as your university has you registered as a student, so enjoy it while you can! That's why were here to help you get through the task of managing taxes. Couples living together are jointly liable as a couple, but also as individuals. The amount of council tax you pay relates to the valuation of your property. If you live on your own or no one else in your home counts as an adult, you can get a 25% discount on your Council Tax. Council tax Council tax discounts and exemptions Empty and unoccupied properties Apply for an exemption for a property left empty by students (Class K) A property may be exempt from. You can also get the exemption if a property is lived in by students and dependents. Discounts, exemptions and reductions - mygov.scot Check with your local council or university for more information on temporary council tax exemptions. Council tax for students - Citizens Advice In this situation, the local council can only pursue the non-students for payment of the council tax bill. If you're living with other students who aren't eligible for council tax exemption, it's only fair that everyone contributes towards the cost. I'm a distance learning student; am I eligible for council tax exemption? No endorsement or partnership is implied. Learn about hundreds of university subjects. So, if you and all of your housemates are full-time students, you should be exempt from paying council tax. To count as a full-time student, your course must: Last at least one calendar or academic year, where youre required to undertake the course for at least 24 weeks out of the year. However, we can provide you with advice and guide you through the legal jargon, especially if you are at all unsure whether you should apply or how your particular course would be defined.If you have questions and want to have a better understanding of council tax, you are welcome to contact the Money & Housing Advice team, whose specialist advisers can support and advise you.What can I do if I dont get exemption?As an alternative, you can look into applying for a Council tax reduction.Local authorities can choose how to operate this benefit, which means that having local knowledge tailored to your particular authority is much better, so we advise seeking out local support in your area usingFind an adviser.If you apply and are then unhappy with the councils decision you can challenge this, and look into how toappeal this decision. For a student to qualify for council tax exemption, your local council will need to register you as a disregarded person. This would be issued by the university or college for each student who has moved away. Discover recommended open days and other events. Dont include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. Another myth is that if one person in a household is a student, then the whole household is exempt from paying council tax. The end date depends on a few factors, so let's break it down. However, whoever is liable to pay the council tax might qualify for a discount. Households where everyone is a student do not have to pay council tax and can apply for an exemption. However, there have been occasions where this legal definition has been challenged and it has been found that there are courses which meet the criteria for study time and could be deemed eligible. You won't be needing a student discount for council tax, but since student and council tax dont go hand-in-hand, you will be getting something that will exempt you from having to pay tax. Taken from 175,000+ data points from students attending university to help future generations. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Council tax discounts and exemptions Occupied properties Apply for a council tax band reduction for physically disabled people Apply for a reduction in council tax if a person with. Housing and council tax | Ealing Council Mental impairment If you or someone you live with are severely mentally impaired, you may be exempt from paying council tax. When Do Universities Confirm Your Place in 2023? This means we cannot determine if you definitely are or are not eligible. If this affects you, you might be able to challenge the local council's decision and you should get advice from your students union or universitys advice centre. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. You have rejected additional cookies. A resident owner-occupier who owns either the leasehold or freehold of all or part of the property. Apply for a council tax band reduction for physically disabled people, Apply for a halls of residence exemption (Class M), Apply for an armed forces accommodation exemption (Class O), Apply for an exemption for an annexe lived in by a disabled or elderly relative (Class W), Apply for an exemption for a property only lived in by the severely mentally impaired (Class U), Apply for an exemption for a property where everyone is a student (Class N), Apply for an exemption for a property where everyone is under 18 (Class S), Apply for a visiting forces exemption (Class P), People not included when counting the number of adults, Ealing Council Occupied properties information RSS feed. But the decision on your eligibility for exemption will always sit with your local authority.Overall, courses which are defined as part-time are usually not regarded as eligible for council tax exemption since they dont usually meet the criteria for 21 hours+ over 24 weeks+, as outlined above. You can read more about council tax discounts for students on GOV.UK. There is a 25% discount because there is only 1 eligible adult in the property. If your property isnt exempt, some people, including full-time students, are disregarded. In fact, whether or not you need to pay council tax depends on the type of accommodation you're living in and your individual circumstances. A discount is applied for people living on their own, and for those who live with people who dont count as adults for council tax purposes, for example, full-time students. Apply for an exemption for an unoccupied annexe due to a planning restriction (Class T) Apply for an exemption for a property left empty by students (Class K) Apply for a prison related empty. If only one adult lives in the property as their main home, the bill may be reduced by 25%. You can conveniently check your local council tax band by visiting the gov.uk website or reviewing your rental agreement. Fill out the council tax exemption form completely and accurately. To count as a student, you must be doing a full-time course at a university or college that: If you are 18 or 19 in further education, your course must include at least 12 hours study per week.