Student status:
A person is regarded as a student for Council Tax purposes if
he/she is either:-
(a) UNDERTAKING A FULL-TIME COURSE OF EDUCATION
This applies to those attending a university or college course
which lasts at least an academic year, takes at least 24 weeks a
year and involves at least 21 hours of study per week during
term-time. Please note that the hours of study must be more than
the time taken by work experience, except for Initial Teacher
Training courses,
OR
(b) UNDERTAKING A QUALIFYING COURSE OF EDUCATION
This applies to those people under the age of 20 and studying
for more than three months and at least 12 hours per week for any
qualification up to A level, ONC or OND standard.
It does not apply to correspondence courses, evening classes
taken in connection with a persons job, such as day-release,
OR
(c) A STUDENT NURSE
This applies to student nurses who are not on a full-time
course at college or university but are following a course leading
to an appropriate registration under the Nurses, Midwives and
Health Visitors Act 1979,
OR
(d) A FOREIGN LANGUAGE ASSISTANT
This applies to those people registered with the Central
Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges,
OR
(e) A NON-BRITISH PARTNER OF A STUDENT
This applies to a student's spouse or dependent being in
either case a person who is not a British Citizen and who is
prevented, by the terms of his/her leave to enter or remain in the
United Kingdom, from taking paid employment or from claiming
benefit.
In addition to the above, students under the age of 20 will be
classed as students for Council Tax between the end of their course
and the following 1st November providing that they did
not leave their course until after the previous 30th
April.
Liability:
As from 1 April 2004, if you are a full time student resident
in a property, along with another adult, who is not a student and
who holds an identical interest in the property to you i.e. joint
owner, joint tenant or joint resident, you will no longer be liable
for the Council Tax. If, however, you hold a greater interest in
the property and the other resident is not a student, then you will
still be the person liable for the charge.
Prior to 1 April 2004 the normal joint and several liability
rules applied. For more information on Council Tax liability please
click Council Tax liability.
Reductions for occupied properties:
There are three possible types of reduction available, all of
which depend on the total number of adults occupying the
property.
1) EXEMPTION
A full exemption is awarded when a property is occupied wholly
by one or more students. A separate application form should be
completed for each student resident in the property.
OR
2) 50% DISCOUNT
If your property does not qualify for
an exemption, a 50% discount would be applicable instead, if all
the adults resident in the property fell within one of the special
categories for Council Tax discount disregards. These adults are not
counted when looking at the total number resident in a property.
A separate disregard form should be completed for each adult
resident in the property.
OR
3) 25% DISCOUNT
A 25% discount is applicable where all the adults of a
property, except one, are students or fall into any other of the
special categories mentioned above.
Exemptions are available to unoccupied properties, which
(a) were last occupied by the owner (or tenant) as his/her
sole or main residence:
AND
(b) the owner (or tenant) has remained a student for the whole
of the period since leaving the dwelling (or has become a student
within 6 weeks of leaving).
For more information on Council Tax exemptions, please click
Council
Tax exemptions.
Application form:
If you would like an application form please contact a member
of the Local Taxation Team and they will be happy to assist you
with its completion.
It is essential that a student
certificate be sent with each completed student form. Student
certificates provide details of your course and they can be
obtained free of charge from your college or other educational
establishment that you
attend.
Please note:
You are legally obliged to inform the Council within 21 days
of any change of circumstances, which may affect your
exemption/discount entitlement. For example, you should notify the
Council if you leave your course early or another adult moves into
your property. Failure to do so may result in the issue of a £50.00
civil penalty.
Contact us:
If you would like further information about student status,
please contact us on (01748) 828728, or alternatively you can
e-mail us at mailto:local.taxation@richmondshire.gov.uk
Feedback: To comment on
this service or request the services it
describes complete our Service Request and Comment
Form
Print page
Last updated:
30 October 2007
