Council Tax Benefit for Students

SmokieJoe

At what point do students qualify for help with Council Tax? Is it for the year they are studying? Is it only between the dates they are either on a course/taking exams? What about the period between one year's course ending and the start of the new term?

I'm asking because my daughter was given a bill for 2 days when she moved in to accomodation to undertake the start of her first year course due to the course start date being 2 days after the start of the tenancy, and we're wondering what happens between the last exam and the first day of the second year course? Is she liable for CT for that period?

Cheers.

SJI85

SmokieJoe wrote: »

At what point do students qualify for help with Council Tax? Is it for the year they are studying? Is it only between the dates they are either on a course/taking exams? What about the period between one year's course ending and the start of the new term?

I'm asking because my daughter was given a bill for 2 days when she moved in to accomodation to undertake the start of her first year course due to the course start date being 2 days after the start of the tenancy, and we're wondering what happens between the last exam and the first day of the second year course? Is she liable for CT for that period?

Cheers.

Full time students are exempt from Council tax, rather than "receive" CT Benefit.

Is your daughter a FT or PT student?

fed_up_and_stressed

Within my council area during the summer breaks full time students are still exempted as long as they intend to return to the course when it resumes for the new academic year. However do suggest you get advice for the areas council tax team.

It is correct that the council tax was charged for the period before enrolement as student exemption for the property can't exist before the person claiming the exemption was a full time student.

CIS

Within my council area during the summer breaks full time students are still exempted as long as they intend to return to the course when it resumes for the new academic year. However do suggest you get advice for the areas council tax team.

This applies nationally - if you're enrolled on a continuing course of education (which meets the full time criteria) then you remain a student from the start to the end of course, including holidays.

The problem comes from the current way many universities and colleges are only issuing the student certificates for 1 year at a time rather than for the entire course (as most used to).

SmokieJoe

My daughter effectively remained a FT student moving from non-advanced (A-level study) to advanced (degree) study. The academic year, as I understand it, runs from 1st September to 31st August (at least it does for tax credit purposes where the education is ongoing regardless of the physical start date of the course).

"The problem comes from the current way many universities and colleges are only issuing the student certificates for 1 year at a time rather than for the entire course (as most used to)." Do you mean a full academic year as outlined above, or from the physical start date to the date of the last attendance (for the course or exam)?