Douglas Olsen
Whether or not a master's student has to pay council tax depends on a few factors. Council tax is a yearly charge paid in 10 or 12 monthly instalments, and is calculated per household. Generally, full-time students are exempt from paying council tax, but part-time students are usually liable to pay. However, if a master's student lives in a house where everyone is a full-time student, they will not have to pay council tax. If they live with non-students, the non-students will be expected to pay. If a master's student is the only adult in the household, they may be eligible for a discount.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who is liable to pay council tax? | People living in privately rented accommodation or who own their home are normally liable to pay council tax. |
| Exemption | Special exemption rules apply to full-time students. |
| Full-time student definition | To be a full-time student, the course must last at least one calendar or academic year, require at least 24 weeks of attendance each year, and involve a minimum of 21 hours of study per week. |
| Council tax exemption period | The exemption applies from the course start date until the course end date or the date a person withdraws from their course. |
| Council tax liability | If you are a full-time student sharing with two or more people who are not full-time students, a full bill will be generated. As a full-time student, you are not liable to pay any of this bill, but the non-students in the house will be expected to pay. |
| Council tax bill | If you receive a council tax bill but you don't think you should have, you can apply for an exemption. |
| Council tax payment difficulty | If you are experiencing financial hardship, you can seek advice from your council. |
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What You'll Learn
Full-time student exemption criteria
To qualify as a full-time student for council tax exemption, your course must meet certain criteria. The course must last a minimum of one calendar or academic year, and you must be required to undertake it for at least 24 weeks out of the year. Additionally, it should typically involve a minimum of 21 hours of study, tuition, or work experience per week during term time.
If you are a full-time student, your household is exempt from council tax. However, if there are non-students in your household, you will still receive a council tax bill, but your household may qualify for a discount. In this case, the local council can only pursue the non-students for payment. If you live with another full-time student, you will both be ''disregarded,', meaning the council tax is calculated as if you don't live there, and the other occupants may receive a discount.
If you are a distance learning student, your university can issue a letter confirming your student status, which you can use to apply for a council tax exemption. However, distance learning courses are typically considered part-time, and part-time students are generally not eligible for council tax exemption as they usually do not meet the required number of study hours.
It is important to note that council tax exemption for students is not decided by the university but by the local authority, and failure to pay council tax can have serious consequences.
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Part-time student liability
If you are a part-time student, you will be expected to pay council tax. However, if you are a full-time student, you are 'disregarded' for council tax purposes, meaning the council tax is calculated as if you don't live in the property. This means that whoever does have to pay the council tax may be eligible for a discount.
To qualify as a full-time student, your course must last at least one calendar or academic year, for a minimum of 24 weeks of the year, and involve at least 21 hours of study, tuition, or work experience per week during term time. If you are a full-time student, you can request a certificate from your university or college as proof of your student status.
If you live with a part-time student, they will probably be liable for 75% of the council tax bill. If you live in a house in multiple occupations (HMO), the owner of the property is responsible for paying the council tax. You usually live in an HMO if you share a house, bedsit, or hostel with two or more people who are not part of the same family.
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Council tax liability in shared accommodation
If you are a full-time student, you are 'disregarded' for council tax purposes. This means that the council tax is calculated as if you don't live in the property. However, if there are non-students in the household, they will be liable for the council tax bill. If you share with an employed person or a part-time student, they will probably be liable for 75% of the council tax bill. There is a 25% discount because only one eligible adult lives in the property. If you share with two or more employed people who aren't students, they are likely to be liable for 100% of the council tax bill, unless one or both of them qualify as a disregarded person for council tax discount purposes.
If you live in a house in multiple occupations (HMO), the owner of the property is liable to pay council tax. You usually live in an HMO if you share a house, bedsit, or hostel with two or more people who aren't part of the same family. If you are unsure whether your property is an HMO, you can check with your local council.
If you are a postgraduate student, your liability for council tax depends on your course dates and student status. For example, if your official end date is 30 September 2025, you will be liable for council tax from 1 October 2025. If your course end date has been officially extended, you will need to provide an updated Confirmation of Study letter to prove that your enrolment has not ended.
It is important to note that councils are not obligated by law to extend your exemption. If you wish to pursue an exemption for council tax, you can submit evidence of your student status, and they will apply your exemption again from the start of your new programme. Your bill for the year will be recalculated, and you may be issued a refund for any overpayments.
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Council tax liability in privately rented accommodation
The question of who pays council tax on a rented property is not always straightforward. Generally, tenants are responsible for paying council tax. However, there are some circumstances in which the landlord may be liable, and some in which the property may be exempt.
For tenancy agreements of six months or longer, tenants are responsible for the council tax bill while they are living in the property. If they leave the property before their tenancy agreement ends, they will remain responsible for the bill until the agreement ends or another tenant begins a new agreement. If the property remains empty after the tenancy agreement ends, the tenancy agreement will dictate who is responsible. If the tenants are required to give notice, they may be responsible until the end of the notice period, usually when they stop paying rent. For tenancy agreements of less than six months, tenants are only responsible for the council tax while they are living in the property.
If a tenant is on a rolling tenancy, they will only need to pay council tax while they are living in the property, and the landlord is responsible for any empty periods. If a property is rented out on separate tenancy agreements, the landlord is usually responsible for paying the council tax. This is also the case if the tenants each have their own tenancy agreement, making them responsible only for their own rent, or if they rent a specific room with its own lock or number, even if they share a kitchen or bathroom. If you rent with other people but your tenancy agreement only has your name and the rent for your room, your landlord must pay the council tax.
If your tenancy agreement includes the names of your housemates and you are collectively responsible for the rent on the whole property, you are responsible for the council tax. If a property has student tenants, it might be exempt from council tax or eligible for a discount. Households where everyone is a full-time student do not have to pay council tax. Full-time students are ''disregarded' for council tax purposes, meaning the council tax is calculated as if they don't live there, and the other occupants may be eligible for a discount.
If you receive a council tax bill that you think you are not responsible for, you can apply for an exemption. Councils can recover any debts incurred by occupants who fail to make the necessary payments, so it is important to notify the council as soon as possible if you are experiencing financial hardship.
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Council tax liability in student halls
Council tax liability is assessed in March of each year, with a new bill calculated, produced, and sent out in April. Student halls are generally exempt from council tax. This includes university halls and private, purpose-built student accommodation. If only students live in the hall, it is highly unlikely that any individual student will receive a bill.
However, there are some circumstances in which student halls may not be exempt. For example, if the building does not qualify as a hall, it will only be exempt on the days it is occupied by qualifying students. This can lead to non-exempt periods during summer vacation when students have completed their courses and are waiting to start new ones. In these cases, the owner of the property is normally liable for council tax, although the liability will usually revert to the residents of the property.
If you receive a council tax bill, you can apply for an exemption. To qualify as a full-time student, your course must last at least one calendar or academic year and involve at least 24 weeks of the year, with a minimum of 21 hours of study, tuition, or work experience per week during term time. If you qualify, your household will not have to pay council tax, and your exemption will be applied to your bill. If there are non-students in your household, they will be liable for the council tax bill, although they may qualify for a discount.
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Frequently asked questions
It depends. If you are a full-time student, you are exempt from paying council tax. However, if you are a part-time master's student, you will likely have to pay council tax, although you may still be eligible for a reduction.
Council tax is a yearly charge paid in 10 or 12 monthly instalments. It is calculated by the value of your property and where you live. The money goes to your local council to pay for services like rubbish collection, street cleaning, local schools and roadworks.
To be considered a full-time student, your course must last at least one calendar or academic year, require at least 24 weeks of attendance each year, and involve a minimum of 21 hours of study per week.
If you are a full-time student living with non-students, you are still exempt from paying council tax, but your non-student housemates will be expected to pay. They may be eligible for a discount if there is only one eligible adult in the property.
If you receive a council tax bill but believe you are exempt as a full-time student, you can apply for an exemption. You may need to provide evidence of your student status to the local council.
