Overview

• In an August 31 post on X, the government linked to its website to raise awareness of who can be exempt from Council Tax or receive a reduction, stressing this is guidance rather than a rule change.
• Groups that may be disregarded include people under 18, full-time students, certain apprentices, live-in carers, diplomats, people deemed severely mentally impaired, 18–19-year-olds in full-time education, student nurses, foreign language assistants, and some learners funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency.
• Households made up entirely of full-time students do not pay Council Tax, and a qualifying course typically lasts at least 12 months with at least 21 hours of study per week.
• Apprentices can qualify only with employer confirmation that pay will not exceed £195 and that the scheme leads to an accredited qualification.
• Discounts can be 25% for a single liable adult or 50% if everyone else is disregarded, a disability reduction can lower the bill by one band, and residents must tell their council if a discount is received in error.