Council tax discounts and exemptions
Single person discount
A full council tax bill assumes at least two adults live in a house. If only one adult lives in a house (as their main home), they can claim a quarter off their council tax bill (25%).
When working out how many adults live in a home, the following people do not count as adults:
- Full time students
- Student nurses
- Apprentices and youth training trainees
- Hospital in-patients
- People who are being looked after in care homes
- People who are severely mentally impaired
- People staying in certain hostels or night shelters
- 18 and 19 year olds who are at, or have just left, school and intend to enrol in further education
- People for whom child benefit is payable
- Care workers working for low pay, usually for charities
- People caring for someone with a disability who is not their husband, wife, partner, or a child under 18
- Members and non-British dependants of visiting forces and certain international HQs
- Members of religious communities (monks and nuns)
- People in prison (except those in prison for non-payment of council tax or a fine)
- Special arrangements may also apply to certain non-British spouses of students
Visit our council tax portal to:
Apply for a single person discount
Tell us if your circumstances change
If you receive a single person discount, you must tell us within 21 days of your circumstances changing, or you may be fined. Visit our council tax portal to: