Travelling and Council Tax

Kim_Hart_2

I am planning to take off for a prolonged period of travelling, casual working in Europe, I will not be leaving behind a residence of any kind. Whilst I am away and as I will have left no 'home' behind I believe I will not be liable for council tax. However when I eventually return and set up home in the UK again and therefore start to pay council tax - does anyone know if I will have to account for my period of time out of the country. I am asking as I already have some cash in hand bar work lined up and if as planned this is followed by similar I may find it difficult to show any proof of anything. I have asked various organisations and many people who you would think might know and none has been able to offer anything so far. Any ideas anyone? Thanks

lincroft1710

Presumably you will have an "address" abroad, so it would be alright to use this when asked for previous address.

A problem would only occur if you left possessions (which you intended to use on your return to the UK) behind in a property which you had occupied and intended to return there, or was currently only occupied by a single adult and again you intended to return and that adult tried to claim single person discount.

podperson

You shouldn't be asked to account for time away no. The council will generally ask you for a tenancy agreement or something similar that states when you moved into the property but I have never had one that asked me for a previous address. If they ask you can simply tell them you have been abroad. If you have no property left behind then you won't be liable for council tax while you are away, it goes purely off the property not the person.

lincroft1710

I'm fairly certain my council does (or did) ask for previous address.

Kim_Hart_2

lincroft1710 wrote: »

Presumably you will have an "address" abroad, so it would be alright to use this when asked for previous address.

A problem would only occur if you left possessions (which you intended to use on your return to the UK) behind in a property which you had occupied and intended to return there, or was currently only occupied by a single adult and again you intended to return and that adult tried to claim single person discount.

No I will not have any kind of address - I am travelling. I am leaving some bits and pieces with various friends and family and indeed may come back and stay with one of my family on return. Not leaving anything substantial with anyone - all my furniture is in long stay storage.

Kim_Hart_2

podperson wrote: »

You shouldn't be asked to account for time away no. The council will generally ask you for a tenancy agreement or something similar that states when you moved into the property but I have never had one that asked me for a previous address. If they ask you can simply tell them you have been abroad. If you have no property left behind then you won't be liable for council tax while you are away, it goes purely off the property not the person.

Thanks - yes understand about property and not people attract council tax unless you get a single persons discount. So this sounds OK, I suppose I either will be able to account for what I have done or I wont be able to in any sort of detail. So will probably just wing it I guess - who knows may never come back!

lincroft1710

Just remember that if you have no "address" and return to England (to live rather than just visit) and stay with anyone who is getting single person discount, that person's home will be regarded as your sole or main residence and they will no longer be entitled to SPD.

Spreading your possessions around is a good idea.

Even though you're travelling, unless you're dossing in doorways or on the beach, you're bound to have an address where you spend the night, campsite, hotel, room at back of bar. You would have been perfectly correct in giving any one of these as your previous address, except you now say you will probably stay with friends/family on your return. So the last person's home you stay in before you move into your own place becomes your previous address.

Anyway enjoy yourself and don't worry too much about things in future.