Studying at university is a fantastic period of your life. You’re busy learning new and interesting things, making friends for life and enjoying all the clubs and societies that your university has to offer.
Some students heading to university for the first time may wonder whether or not they are liable for council tax. Let’s have a look at this and answer that very question.
Are students liable to pay Council Tax?
The good news is that many students are exempt from having to pay Council Tax. If you’re classed as a full-time student – that is to say, your course lasts for at least 24 weeks of the year and normally takes up at least 21 hours a week of time – you should not have to pay Council Tax.
Student Accommodation
Accommodation for students, such as student flats in Exeter or other university cities, is sometimes exempt from Council Tax altogether. This is the case for student halls of residence or other accommodation, like student flats Exeter for example, which is occupied wholly by full-time students.
If the accommodation you live in consists of a mixture of students and non-students, the non-students will be liable for Council Tax. However, if they are the only person responsible for paying, they may be able to apply for a discount. You can easily check this online here
Gaps in your studies
If you take a break from studying, for example, because you are changing courses, you may be liable to pay Council Tax in the interim if you are temporarily not registered on either course. But if you are just taking a short break from studying but remain registered on a course, such as if you have a family commitment or summer break, you should remain free from having to pay.
Fortunately, for students writing up a PhD thesis or some other postgraduate research degree, the rules usually state that you will remain exempt from Council Tax during the writing-up stage of your course, even if you are not attending a campus every day.
