Guide to when you need to pay council tax and whether you need to apply for exemption or whether you are automatically exempt.
Full time students and Council Tax
Council Tax is a system of local taxation used throughout the UK. It is set by and payable to local councils as a financial contribution to the services they provide, such as rubbish collection, the police and the fire service.
Halls of residence
University halls of residence are automatically exempt from Council Tax, which means that students who live there will not have to prove their student status to be exempt.
Private/council accommodation
If you are eligible to receive a student discount on your Council Tax, you will need to apply for exemption (starting from the month in which your programme begins).
You will need a council tax exemption letter which can be requested at any Student Centre once you are fully registered. You must then send the letter to your local council in order to claim your exemption. It's best to contact your local council to find out how they process Council Tax exemption letters.
House share
If your household is only comprised of students, you will generally qualify for the full Council Tax exemption.
If you live with another person who is not a full time student, your household could still get a discount. For example, if you live with your partner, you will usually be eligible for a 25% reduction on your Council Tax bill for the period in which you are studying.
If there is more than one non-student in your household you will not usually be eligible for a discount.
Depending on your circumstances, you may wish to check with your local council about the full range of benefits, rebates and tax as these can vary depending on the personal circumstances of the members of your household.
More information is available on the gov.uk website.
Part-time students and Council Tax
As a part-time student you will need to pay council tax, however, you may qualify for council tax reduction, which is awarded based on your income.
More information on Council Tax Reduction.
Students and voting
Under the new Individual Electoral Registration (IER) system, each person will be required to register to vote individually. Up to now, the head of a household has been responsible for registering everyone who lives at their address. From 10 June 2014, people registering to vote in England and Wales will register as individuals instead, using a new, more secure system.
This means that students at the University of Greenwich can now register to vote at their term time addresses – whether it is halls of residence or private accommodation. For further information on how to register to vote, please check the Electoral Commission website.