Council Tax and Students

Spendless

I've recently started a college course 16 hours a week, which college tell me means I am a full!time student.

I'm sure I've read if 2 adults live in a house and one is a student you can apply for a discount. Would I qualify? The course only lasts for 17 weeks, would this make a difference?

TIA

ETA! Thought I'd posted in benefits, would someone please move thanks

hjb123

Hi,

This is from a council website, hope it helps, though not sure whether it will when your course only lasts for 17 weeks!
Might get you a slight reduction though ! little is better than nothing!

A property occupied only by full!time students is exempt from paying any council tax.

In a property where all but one of the occupants is a full time student a 25% discount may be given. People between courses of full time education are not counted as students

Savvy_Sue

The best thing would be to phone and ask them if you can get the 25% discount for 17 weeks, but I wouldn't hold your breath ... oh, and please let us know the answer!

Spendless

Savvy_Sue wrote:

The best thing would be to phone and ask them if you can get the 25% discount for 17 weeks, but I wouldn't hold your breath ... oh, and please let us know the answer!

LOL- yes I'm quite ready for them to tell me 17 weeks worth of study don't count and I shall most certainly inform everyone else if I manage to get it.:D

Gingham_Ribbon

Good luck. If they turn you don't I'll be writing to them asking why! A student is a student is a student! I see no reason why an undergraduate has any more right to a reduction in council tax than any other student.

Crispy_Ambulance

The law defines a full time student for council tax purposes. You will need to be studying a full time course, which (off the top of my head) is defined as 21 hrs per week for minimum of 26 weeks. It is your registration that matters - if the uni has you registered on a FT course, then you should get the exemption, if not then you don't. You don't get the discount for a shorter time if you are studying a short course - you just don't qualify for it.

Hope that helps.

Spendless

Crispy_Ambulance wrote:

The law defines a full time student for council tax purposes. You will need to be studying a full time course, which (off the top of my head) is defined as 21 hrs per week for minimum of 26 weeks. It is your registration that matters - if the uni has you registered on a FT course, then you should get the exemption, if not then you don't. You don't get the discount for a shorter time if you are studying a short course - you just don't qualify for it.

Hope that helps.

It's the college (its not a uni) that has told me 16 hours or above means full-time, but I realise they may have different rules to the council tax. The course is only for 17 weeks so it looks like I won't qualify for it.
Thanks anyway.