Council tax when child turns 18 and is a full-time student

[skyeisthelimit]

Council tax - DD is 18 in a couple of weeks. She is at college and hopefully going to Uni in September. From what I read it looks like she doesn't have to pay council tax if she is a full time student. My question is, does anyone know:

I have the single person discount at the moment. Does she need to apply for the student discount, and then I just keep claiming the single person discount?

Any advice gratefully received.

Students living in student accommodation where all occupants are students get an exemption from paying Council Tax.

Students living with people who are liable for Council Tax are not exempt in the same way, but are disregarded for the purposes of calculating how many adults there are. So your DD will be disregarded, and you will continue to get the 25% discount for being a single occupant.

You need to inform your council within 21 days of her turning 18, or you could get a fine. Simply email them and tell them that your DD is turning 18 on x date, will still be a full-time student and that you receive Child Benefit for her.

Thanks Lougle, that is helpful. My council website just had a load of forms to fill in onscreen with no actual advice on it. I will email them and say what you have said above.

The college or university will be able to issue a letter confirming her ft student status which you will need as evidence. Often it is downloadable from her student log in page once enrolled. It's usually automatically available for students as every single student needs one as the sheer number they need to issue is huge so it's built in to their system. It might be you need to pay her share for a month or two until she enrolls and then the bill will be adjusted retrospectively as universities go back later than schools.

If you get Child Benefit and she's studying A level or below then she's a 'Qualifying Young Person', disregarded for CT, and shouldn't need too much hoop jumping.

Older people at Uni etc will need confirmation from the place they're studying. My OH did that when doing a PhD.

Phone or email the Council and ask what they need.

Does she need to apply for the student discount, and then I just keep claiming the single person discount?

she need to prove that she is a student to the local authority that she is living in - otherwise they will not know she is a student ( and just count her as an adult over 18, as they have no way of knowing what she is doing until you tell them) and have no way of knowing its legit until she proves it - usually a letter form the admin office at the university stating she is a full time student will normally suffice

If she is living in the household with you whilst at uni - then, yes you still get your 25% single person discount

I’m be never informed the council my ds is almost 20 . It goes on house rather than the old system of poll tax where it was the people over 18 in your house

College will provide a letter to share to la
You covered til august anyway get a letter as soon as she enrolled college will have standard letter or form to request one

I know that. It's because I get the single occupant discount, so when she turns 18, I don't get that any more as I wouldn't be the only adult in the house. As a student she doesn't count, but I do need to inform the council or they could remove the 25% discount.

I rang and spoke to them yesterday and he said he would email a form to me to complete and that I need to send the Student Certificate as mentioned above, to prove that she is a student.

Do you get 25% discount? Do you live with any other adults in the household, apart from ds? Is your ds studying full time?

the council tax is calculated on 50% property and 50% two adult people living in the property- so if only one adult is living in the property or the other is a student or is SMI then you get the discount of 25%

Just had our bill for 2026/7 and seems all that's needed for 18yo in school to be disregarded is proof of Child Benefit.

Bromptotoo each council could be different. I rang mine and had to get the Student Certificate. (which the college had to send to DD because of GDPR).

It's possible but the fact Child Benefit is in payment for an 18yo would require them to be in education.

Requiring certificates for the entire Upper 6th creates a not insignificant workload for the Bursar.

I spoke to my LA about just this the other day! If you have the HMRC app, it shows that you will be getting child benefit until august/september. If you send the council your entitlement letter with this on they can use that so you can keep your 25% discount until then. If she goes to uni I was told to get a letter or email off the uni with her name, course name, start and end date, and they will continue to give me the 25% discount when she is at uni. If your daughter is staying away at uni she will be exempt from council tax there but you will also continue to get your 25% discount because your home is still her main home. Hope this helps!

I agree, it does seem a ridiculous requirement. However as the OP's dd is at a college presumably they have more older students (many FE colleges also offer HNDs/Foundation degrees as well as A levels & Btecs) so they will have the set up to issue certificates as a matter of course.

Does she still qualify for the discount for the gap between finishing A-Levels in June and enrollment on the Uni course the following October?

Yes if you show that you’re still receiving child benefit up until September