Council tax discounts for students, trainees and apprentices

Please note - A full council tax bill is based on at least two adults living in a property. Discounts do not apply if at least two people over 18 who live in the same property are counted for council tax purposes. If after discounting occupants, there remains only one occupant then a discount of 25% of the council tax bill may be given. A student or trainee is not counted when calculating the number of occupants.

Please note - You must continue to pay council tax in accordance with your bill until your discount has been granted. Failure to do so may result in recovery action which could incur costs.

Full-time students

To be classed as a full-time student, you must meet all of the following conditions:

  • your course of education lasts at least one academic or calendar year
  • you have to undertake the course for at least 24 weeks a year
  • you have to undertake at least 21 hours of study a week.

Apply for the council tax discount for students

Return the completed form to the address on the form. You also need to send a student certificate for all occupants over the age of 18 confirming their status and a completed student declaration form.

Non-British spouses of full-time students

You may qualify for a discount if you're a spouse or dependent of a full-time student and both of the following apply:

  • you're not a British citizen
  • you cannot take paid employment or claim benefits because of immigration regulations.

Return the completed application form to the address on the form with your passport showing a stamp preventing work or benefit claims, and the student certificate for your spouse.

Apply for the council tax discount for non-British spouses of full-time students

Apprentices

You may qualify for a discount if you're employed to learn a trade or a profession and you meet all of the following conditions:

  • you are not paid more than £195 a week
  • your salary is substantially less than you'd get once you're qualified
  • your training programme leads to a qualification accredited by the National Council for Vocational Qualifications or the Scottish Vocational Education Council.

Return the completed application form to the address on the form. You must include a copy of your latest payslip and a letter from your employer confirming that you fulfil the listed criteria.

Apply for the council tax discount for apprentices

Youth trainees

You may qualify for a discount if you're under 25 and undertaking youth training in an approved scheme. The training must be:

  • made through arrangements made under the Employment and Training Act 1973
  • recognised as an approved training scheme for the purposes of section 28 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992.

Apply for the council tax discount for youth trainees

Under 20 year olds

You may qualify for a discount if you're under 20 and you meet all of the following conditions:

  • you're on a qualifying course of education
  • you have to attend at least 12 hours a week
  • the course lasts at least three months
  • you or your family are still in receipt of Child Benefit for you.

Pupils who leave school after 30 April will continue to be disregarded (not counted) for council tax purposes until 1 November.

Return the completed application form to the address on the form with:

  • a copy of proof of Child Benefit and
  • a letter from the educational establishment stating the number of hours you attend, the start and end date of your course and your date of birth.

Apply for the council tax discount for students under 20

Student nurses

If you're a student nurse, you may be eligible for a student nurses' council tax discount.

Foreign language assistants

Foreign language assistants are treated as students during any period that they are appointed as such at a school or other educational establishment. This is provided that they are registered as foreign language assistants with the British Council.

Apply for a discount for foreign language assistants

Appeal

If the Royal Borough of Greenwich decides not to award a discount, you can appeal in the first instance to the Council Tax team. This must be within 28 days of notice of the decision and you must state your reasons. However you may not appeal against the amount of the discount.

Related exemptions

If a property has been left empty because a student has moved to live elsewhere to study full-time, the empty property may be exempt from council tax:

If all the occupiers of the property are students, the property may be exempt from council tax:

Contact Council Tax