Status discounts

For Council Tax purposes, some adults are not counted in working out the number of adults resident in a property.

Typically a discount will apply where there are two adults resident in a property, but one adult is one of the following: 

  • Full time students (and certain non-UK spouses/dependents) 
  • 18 or 19 year olds who are at or have just left school
  • People who are severely mentally impaired
  • People caring for someone with a disability who is not a spouse, partner or child under 18 (more than one adult can be disregarded as carer if all required conditions are met)
  • Student nurses, apprentices, youth training trainees and foreign language assistants 
  • People who are permanently cared for in nursing homes, care homes or hospitals. 
  • Care workers working for low pay, usually for charities
  • Members of visiting forces and certain international institutions
  • Members of religious communities (monks and nuns)
  • People in prison (except those in prison for non-payment of Council Tax or a fine) 

To apply for a student discount you will need to confirm who is in your property and provide a student certificate from the student’s college/university.

When a discount applies

This chart gives examples of where discounts do and don’t apply:

Example
Discount
Two adults reside in a property as their main home. Neither of them fall into any discount group
No discount
One adult lives in a property as their main home
25 per cent discount
Two adults reside in a property as their main home and one of them is a full-time student and is therefore disregarded
25 per cent discount
Three adults reside in a property as their main home and one of them is a full time student and is disregarded
No discount
A furnished property that is not occupied by anyone as their main home (called sole or main residence)
No discount
Three adults reside in a property as their main home and one is severely mentally impaired and one other meets the requirements of the legislation as their carer – both the mentally impaired person and their carer are disregarded
25 per cent discount
Three adults reside in a property as their main home and one is severely mentally impaired and both the others meet the requirements of the legislation as their carers – both the mentally impaired person and their carers are disregarded
50 per cent discount