Council Tax and Uni students

DZZZZZ

My daughter went to uni in September. According to my local council my home (council flat) is still classed as her official address. I am now on my own on Universal Credits. I have informed and done all the necessary paperwork to let council tax and UC's to know the situation. However, after all that I am now being charged more council tax even though I am in receipt of less benefits because of her leaving home for uni. She is on student finance. Has anyone else had issues with council tax going up when their kids have left for uni? Thank in advance

Voyager2002

When she was at school she "did not exist" for council tax purposes. If you were the only adult in your household then you would have been entitled to the sole occupier discount (25 per cent): if there is another adult in the household then standard council tax would have been payable.

As a full-time student she again "does not exist" for council tax purposes, but perhaps there were a few months over the Summer when she was not classed as a student. If so, then the single person discount would not have been applied for those few months and that would have increased your tax liability over the course of the year.

The first thing to check is that your local Council Tax department have recorded her as being a full-time student. They may require evidence of student status before granting the sole occupier discount, and ensure that they have all the evidence they need. Then ask them whether there was an issue over the Summer.

Northern_Wanderer

How old is your daughter? Assume you are in England?

The following people are disregarded (ENGLAND) when counting the number of people living in a property for the purposes of a discount:

• a person not living in the property as their sole or main residence

• a person aged under 18

• a person aged 18 for whom child benefit is payable

• a person aged 18 or 19 who is in full-time non-advanced education

• students

• a school or college leaver aged under 20 who left school or college after 30 April after studying for more than 12 hours a week on a course not higher than A levels - they will be counted as a school or college leaver until 1 November of the same year whether or not they take up employment

• an apprentice training for a qualification accredited by an approved authority and earning not more than £195 per week

• a youth trainee aged under 25 with an individual training plan

If she isn't living with you as her main residence then I don't see how she can be included on your council tax, hence you should be getting the 25% single person discount.

peteuk

Have they registered for exemption of CT due to being a student at her student residents?