COUNCIL TAX

Find out the Council Tax band for a home in England or Wales by looking up its postcode

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Working out your Council Tax

You’ll need to know 3 things:
  • The valuation band for your home in England and Wales or in Scotland
  • How much your local council charges for that band
  • Whether you can get a discount or exemption from the full bill
You may be able to get Council Tax Reduction (this used to be called Council Tax Benefit) if you’re on a low income or get benefits.

Who has to pay

You’ll usually have to pay Council Tax if you’re 18 or over and own or rent a home.

A full Council Tax bill is based on at least 2 adults living in a home. Spouses and partners who live together are jointly responsible for paying the bill.

You’ll get 25% off your bill if you count as an adult for Council Tax and either:

  • You live on your own
  • No-one else in your home counts as an adult

You’ll usually get a 50% discount if no-one living in your home, including you, counts as an adult.

You won’t have to pay any Council Tax if everyone in your home, including you, is a full-time student.

Apply for a Council Tax discount

Who doesn’t count as an adult?

These people are not counted as adults for Council Tax:

  • Children under 18
  • People on some apprentice schemes
  • 18 and 19-year-olds in full-time education
  • Full-time college and university students
  • Young people under 25 who get funding from the Skills Funding Agency or Young People’s Learning Agency
  • Student nurses
  • Foreign language assistants registered with the British Council
  • People with a severe mental impairment
  • Live-in carers who look after someone who isn’t their partner, spouse, or child under 18
  • Diplomats
Contact your local council if you’re unsure about whether you can get a discount or who’s responsible for paying.

People on apprentice schemes

To show that you don’t qualify as an adult for Council Tax, you’ll need a declaration from your employer stating that:

  • You won’t be paid more than £195 a week
  • The training leads to a qualification accredited by a body recognised by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) or the Scottish Vocational Education Council (SVEC)

If you get a Council Tax discount by mistake

You must tell your council. If you don’t, you could get a fine.

The council may ask you to pay back the discount.

Paying your bill

Your Council Tax bill tells you:

  • How much you have to pay for the year
  • How that amount has been worked out
  • The dates you have to pay
The cost is usually split into 10 monthly payments. Contact your council immediately if you’re having trouble paying – they can help you, for example by spreading your payments over 12 months instead of 10. The council can take action to reclaim any debts you owe if you get behind with your payments.

Ways to pay

You can usually pay your Council Tax online.

You can also use ‘Paypoint’, ‘Payzone’ or ‘Quickcards’ for cash payments at post offices, banks, newsagents and convenience stores.

Check your bill to find out which other payment methods you can use.