3. Council tax reduction
Council tax reduction is administered by local authorities and helps you pay your council tax. It replaced council tax benefit (CTB) in April 2013, and may be referred to by your local authority as ‘council tax support’, or similar. Local authorities have the discretion on how to run their own schemes. However, there is a ’default scheme’, which has been adopted by a large number of local authorities.
1CTRS(DS)(E) Regs If you live in Wales, there is a national scheme and local authorities are funded by the Welsh government.
2CTRS(PR)(W) RegsIf you have reached pension age, your local authority should provide support that mirrors that previously available under the CTB scheme.
3Reg 11 CTRS(PR)(E) RegsMost full-time students do not need to claim help as they are not liable for council tax. If you are liable, you might be able to get council tax reduction, depending on your local scheme.
In general, if your local authority has adopted the default scheme and you are a full-time student, you are not eligible for help unless you get certain other benefits, you are a lone parent or one of a student couple with children, or you are disabled.
If you are a part-time student, you may get help, depending on your circumstances and the details of your local scheme. The fact that you are a part-time student, in itself, is unlikely to affect your eligibility for a reduction.
However, schemes may have individual differences, so ask your local authority for details of its scheme. Note: scheme rules may change from year to year.
Council tax rebate
As part of measures to support households with the costs of living, the UK Government and Welsh Government are funding a £150 payment to households in 2022/23, via the council tax system. The payment will be made to households where the property is in council tax bands A to D and which the occupants use as their main home. Eligibility includes households which are exempt from the council tax as all occupants are full-time students (‘Class N’). Local authorities manage the application process and precise rules. Where you live in a house of multiple occupancy, you will need to nominate one individual to receive the payment. Contact your own local authority to see if your household is eligible and for details about applying.