Do I need to pay council tax as a student?

What is council tax? Council tax is a tax by the local council on residences in their area. This money is used for community care, repairs, bin collection, education and many other things that residents directly benefit from.

Do students pay council tax? If all the tenants are full time students you will not be required to pay council tax. This mean all students must have at least 21 hours of study or tuition per week during term time and must also attend their university or college for at least 24 weeks of the year.

How do I arrange a council tax exemption? You will need to request a Council Tax Exemption certificate from the university that you attend and then send a copy of this to your local council. Find out more about how to do this in our guide to Council tax as a student. (If you are not sure of what council area you are now living in you can check here: https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council)

What if I share a house with someone who is not a student? If you are living in a house shared by students and non-students, some council tax payment will be required. It is up to you how you will want to split this, much like an electricity bill. As a full time student, however, you cannot be chased for council tax.

As an international student do I need to pay council tax? If you are a full-time student then you will be exempt from council tax. If you have a partner, spouse or dependant living with you then they will also be exempt from council tax if they are not a British Citizen and are not eligible to work or claim benefits in the UK. If they are British, or an EEA national they will need to pay council tax. It is best to check with your local council if you are not sure about your specific situation.

Find out more about council tax here: https://www.gov.uk/council-tax