Please help! I'm a full time student but have to pay council tax

Mikeyorks

Elehayes wrote: »

Was just wondering if there were any loopholes..

Well there's the legal loophole ......... you aren't liable for any of the Council Tax. Or there's the moral loophole ....... you aren't liable for any of the Council Tax!

Those earlier posters suggesting you should pay regardless - seem oblivious of the fact you are entirely disregarded as regards the CT liability. If you consider you should have mentioned it at the time you viewed .... consider the greater onus is on those showing you around to determine your status?

But you do need to advise them before you move in. If you consider the result will be intolerable ...... then use it as a base (possibly paying some contribution towards the CT) for an urgent look around. But even moving in wholly with Students doesn't protect you against the problems. As you're no sooner settled than some hit their final year - their exemption comes to an end - and you're back to the CT maze.

DreamerV

Mikeyorks wrote: »

Those earlier posters suggesting you should pay regardless - seem oblivious of the fact you are entirely disregarded as regards the CT liability.

This isn't true in my case. The OP is not liable for council tax, but the housemates have made pretty clear the price will include paying a share of CT. I myself, now a non-student, have at times advertised for housemates. I have to factor in CT even if they are students, otherwise I might as well get a non-student in and so my council tax would come down by a 1/3. I don't tend to charge them half the CT, but charge them the 1/3 of the discounted bill, while I pay the other. If they agreed to this, I wouldn't expect them to default on the agreement. It's not about being legally liable or not. This poster obv is not, but seems to have agreed to move in knowing they'd have to pay some CT.

The OP has also picked up that most posters say they are not liable, but should still pay....which is what I picked up from most. This would suggest the posters realise the OP is disregarded for CT purposes.

Mikeyorks

DreamerV wrote: »

If they agreed to this

Your argument basically pivots on that point. If you quote an inclusive price ... then one either agrees or walks away. Which is not how I read the OP. Nothing is inclusive .... the bills are separate ..... and you can't charge a 'disregarded' person Council Tax.

Your situation sounds a little different. If there's a 'discounted' CT bill then there's just yourself + the Student. Which makes the bundled price a little more attractive. In the case of the OP there is no prospect of discounting the CT bill ("two people who work full time") - so she is being asked to voluntarily contribute to the debts of others. Wrap it up as inclusive rent .... and you accept it or otherwise. Keep it separate - and then attempt to insist an exempt person pays a share of the CT ....... and you're getting very adjacent to fraud.

joyce341

I dont know how this works,but I have a house and my daughter and son-in-law live with me,they earn about £400 per week,had a phone call from the council today saying that I should apply for council tax and rent rebate as I get pension credit and would get £40 a week towards my rent and some of my council tax,the amount I get of my council tax seems quite substantial,this is given direct to the council,I am liable for remainder which my daughter and son in law pay,so surely this person can apply for rent and council tax rebate and it would work in the same way,either way,my advice would be apply for rebate on these,as I did not apply,they approached me so I know this is correct on my part,then looked it up in benefit check,which confirmed this.
Joyce

DreamerV

Mikeyorks wrote: »

Your argument basically pivots on that point. If you quote an inclusive price ... then one either agrees or walks away. Which is not how I read the OP. Nothing is inclusive .... the bills are separate ..... and you can't charge a 'disregarded' person Council Tax.

Your situation sounds a little different. If there's a 'discounted' CT bill then there's just yourself + the Student. Which makes the bundled price a little more attractive. In the case of the OP there is no prospect of discounting the CT bill ("two people who work full time") - so she is being asked to voluntarily contribute to the debts of others. Wrap it up as inclusive rent .... and you accept it or otherwise. Keep it separate - and then attempt to insist an exempt person pays a share of the CT ....... and you're getting very adjacent to fraud.

I see that my situation is slightly different...I do quote an inclusive price....and yes my argument pivots on the point if they agreed. However I feel by letting the other person mention prices, and the OP not piping up to say they won't pay into CT, they'd be expected to chip in. It is more an obligation (moral) than legal. Legally, the poster is liable for no CT, but I guess I don't see this as the point really. I don't think the other flatmates had to insist on an exempt person paying CT, it seems they mentioned it and the poster being "desperate" didn't mention not wanting to pay in. This isn't an agreement per se, but not mentioning it, if you're not willing to pay in, is not fair on the others. If a liable person was to move in, they would pay less....therefore, the poster moving in would put more of a financial burden on them....if the poster had piped up before saying they're uncomfortable paying into CT they're not liable for, then it's very possible the housemates would have said no to OP moving in.

joyce341

after looking around the internet it seems what everyone is saying is correct,that if you live with none students,then you would be exspected to pay your share of council tax,the advice i read on the internet is contact your student union and you might get help from the access to learning fund.
joyce

Mikeyorks

Sorry Joyce .... not sure what you've been reading ... but it isn't right. Post #5 from CIS sets out the precise position where 'disregarded' and 'liable' people share.

After all - why would someone ("contact your student union") give financial assistance to help you pay someone else's liability?

Elehayes

Thanks for everyone's posts. I've had another idea. I work part time (only around 10 hours per week). If I paid council tax like a 'non-student' would, could I claim a discount due to my low earnings?

CIS

Thanks for everyone's posts. I've had another idea. I work part time (only around 10 hours per week). If I paid council tax like a 'non-student' would, could I claim a discount due to my low earnings?

That wouldn't come in to it - as a F/T student in your situation(regardless of earnings) you have no Council Tax Liability and there's no way you could claim Council Tax Benefit. Council Tax Benefit only pays when there is a legal obligation to pay council tax rather than just a moral/contractual/verbal agreement.

As well as not being able to claim Council Tax Benefit there are no discounts in Council Tax for low earnings.

Debt_Free_Chick

Elehayes wrote: »

Thanks for everyone's posts. I've had another idea. I work part time (only around 10 hours per week). If I paid council tax like a 'non-student' would, could I claim a discount due to my low earnings?

The property is assessed for CT based on those occupying it. So the earnings of the others would be taken into account and my guess is "no" you wouldn't qualify for any CT benefit.

Sorry, but you're barking up the wrong tree! The only people who can give you "a discount" are the other occupiers that you're sharing with.