Help Needed - Student Council Tax Reduction

sher9321

Hello

This is my first post on MSE so please be kind!
I am about to retrain as a teacher in a University (Bristol) a long way from my home (Newcastle). For the 9 months this course is running I will not be resident in my home and would therefore assume that as there would only be one "adult" in the house (my wife) so we would get a 25% reduction in Council Tax. I have also assumed that I would not pay Council Tax in Bristol as I am a student. Are both these assumptions correct?

The reason I ask is that my home LA will not confirm whether we qualify for this 25% reduction and want to know whether I will be paying council tax in Exeter before making a decision - very helpful!

MrsManda

As a full time student you are not eligible to pay council tax therefore regardless of whether you are living with your wife or she is living in the house alone she is eligible for a single person's discount of 25%.

Why not just tell your LA that you are a student and apply for the discount rather than complicating things by telling them you won't be living there?

See Direct.gov.uk for further information on Students and Council Tax

monstermoo

Not sure if you can claim a student discount on both properties. So you may be able to in Exeter for example, but not in Newcastle. If you are in halls then they may be automatically covered by an exemption.

Also Newcastle Council may look at you intention to return to your property ie is it your main residence in the UK?The LA is probably asking due to you possible wanting a reduction in the bill in 2 LA's-Exeter and Newcastle.

i
Hope it helps, but def look at your LA's website and the link above.

educatingmyself

monstermoo wrote: »

Not sure if you can claim a student discount on both properties. So you may be able to in Exeter for example, but not in Newcastle. If you are in halls then they may be automatically covered by an exemption.

Also Newcastle Council may look at you intention to return to your property ie is it your main residence in the UK?The LA is probably asking due to you possible wanting a reduction in the bill in 2 LA's-Exeter and Newcastle.

i
Hope it helps, but def look at your LA's website and the link above.

I agree re the intention to return, I personally moved out of my house to move into my business premises (a guest house) and left my daughter at home. She was a student and thus exempt. I have paid my c tax and business rates at my present address and we claimed the student exemption for my daughter at my original home. This was for a period of 4 years. The council refused to accept the student discount and the Valuation Tribunal deemed that I had the intention to return to my original home and therefore I have to pay the c tax. I am fighting it, but believe me I am stunned that a group of people who know nothing about my circumstances can decide that they know what is going on in my own mind!!?

My advice is be prepared and research everything possible, including whether you have registered at a new doctors etc!!

Good luck.

JQ

elmer

Students are NOT liable for Council tax, so you can occupy as many properties as you like and be NOT liable for any of them. Council tax may still be charged depending on who else also lives in the properties.

So you would be not liable in both Bristol and Newcastle but your wife would remain liable in Newcastle, and depending on how many other adults also live there, may be entitled to a Single person discount.

The same situation also applies in Bristol, if all the occupants are students then there is no Council tax to pay, but if you rent from non students, then it depends on who else is resident.

However you will not be liable for Council tax at any property.

Elmer

lincroft1710

elmer wrote: »

Students are NOT liable for Council tax

The exemption only applies to Full Time Students, a part time student would still be liable to pay CT. I believe the dividing line is a very fine one.

educatingmyself

lincroft1710 wrote: »

The exemption only applies to Full Time Students, a part time student would still be liable to pay CT. I believe the dividing line is a very fine one.

Is there an age limit do you know lincroft? For example full time at 16/17 or over 18, does it matter?

CIS

or council tax purposes a person under 18 is disregarded anyway but any student over 18 who meets the relevant criteria is eligible to receive the appropriate reduction.

educatingmyself

Thank you CIS for your reply, does that mean a full time student aged 16/17 would be exempt or that they could not be charged as the resident and the order of hierarchy would come in to play and the owner of the property would have to pay instead?

Thank you in anticipation.

CIS

They are under 18 so are disregarded from any council tax calculations. If they were the sole occupiers then the property would be exempt under Class S (all occs under 18 yrs old).

In any property where all the occs are under 18yrs of age the owner would be liable for the council tax (it comes under the liability of owners regulations).

John_Pierpoint

Surely a rich owner of (say) three homes could not early retire at (say) 55 and do a degree in (say) Sanskrit and thus be able to stop paying council tax?