Council tax while living at home

Nicoles_

So I had a conversation with a guy at work today who has been hit with a massive council tax bill because he never informed the council he was no longer a student and had started employment. It got me thinking about how I’m 26 and have never paid council tax, it’s just never been brought up to me. I have always lived at home with my mum and brother. My mum currently receives PIP and I think she has her council tax covered too but now I’m worried that I should’ve been paying council tax since I turned 18 and that I’m going to get slapped with a massive bill when I finally move out and register to pay myself. Does anyone know if I should’ve been paying all this time? 

KatrinaWaves

As long as your mum has correctly declared you on her CTR claim it will be fine. Certain benefits allow you to have adults and earners living with you and it doesn’t affect the claim, and I imagine she is claiming many more benefits than just PIP, such as help with housing rent and maybe income support/pension credit/ESA for example. 

Nicoles_

I’ll definitely ask her about the CTR form tomorrow as I’ve no idea! She does get help with rent and things, would that also make a difference for me? 

calcotti

I assume that the ‘guy at work’ is not living with his parents but living in a property of his own. You have no Council Tax liability if you are living in your mother’s house - unless for some reason you or your mother have added your name to the Council Tax bill.

Nicoles_

Yes he is so I know his situation is much different from mine it just got me thinking because until now I had never even considered I might have supposed to have been paying all this time! We’re living in a council rented house and because I’m an adult I wasn’t really sure after reading the gov website about it. 

macman

The only difference is that once you or your brother reached 18, or ceased to be in full time education, then your mum would lose the single person discount. CT is a tax on the property, not on all the adults living in it. You are presumably contributing to your share of CT via your rent?
The fact that your mum is an LA tenant is not relevant.

calcotti

Nicoles_ said:

I’ll definitely ask her about the CTR form tomorrow as I’ve no idea! She does get help with rent and things, would that also make a difference for me? 

No it doesn't. You are not liable unless your name is on the bill.