Council tax bands:
http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/councilanddemocracy/counciltax/bandvalues.aspx
Who has to pay the Council Tax?
The Council Tax is a property and person based charge that results in one bill for each household. Paying the bill is normally the responsibility of the freehold or leasehold owner if he or she lives in the property as his or her main or only home and is over 18. If the owner does not live in the property, the responsibility falls to residents in the following order: statutory or secure tenants, people living there under a licence and other residents.
Discounts and Exemptions:
The basic Council Tax charge is based on two or more adults living in the property. If you are the only adult resident in a property you will be eligible for a 25 per cent discount, which should have been applied to your bill if the council already knows that you live alone. Your bill will not increase if there are more than two adults living in the property.
Full list of persons entitled to discount:
- full-time students, student nurses, apprentices and those on Youth Training courses
- people in hospital
- people being cared for in residential homes, nursing homes, hospices, mental nursing homes and hostels providing a high level of care
- people who are severely mentally impaired
- people kept in hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983
- people in certain night shelters
- monks and nuns
- students who are 19 or who have just left school
- care workers on low pay and usually working for charity, such as Community Service volunteers
- people caring for someone with a disability, other than a spouse, partner or child under 18
- convicted prisoners and those on remand, except those who are in jail for not paying fines or Council Tax
Student Council Tax Discount
The best way for a full-time student to avoid problems with their local authority on the payment, or as it should probably be, non-payment of Council Tax is:
1. To make sure that you only share with other full-time students.
2. To get from your College Registry or School Office, an exemption certificate stating that you are a full time student and send it your local authority (keep a copy). If you do not know the relevant local authority then ask your Landlord/Agent.
Only properties occupied by all full-time students are exempt. A full time course of education is sometimes defined as one which requires on average at least 21 hours of study a week and 24 weeks of attendance each year but it may be less if your college or university defines your course as being full-time.
Where students share with part-time or non-students the full-time students will be disregarded for the purposes of calculating the household’s bill. However, it is for the members of the household to decide how the bill should be apportioned and paid as with any other household bill. From 1st April 2004 local authorities have not been able to bill or enforce payment from any full-time student member of the household.
Student with a spouse and/or dependants
The spouse and dependants of an international student should also be treated as if they are full-time students provided they are not British citizens and are prevented from working or claiming welfare benefits by the terms of their leave to remain in the UK. We are aware that some students in this situation have had difficulties with their local council; seek advice early if your partner receives a bill. A UK student sharing a flat just with their partner will be entitled to a 25% discount on their Council Tax bill (provided that their spouse is not also a full-time student in which case they will be entitled to the full exemption).
Information taken from the following sources:
http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/councilanddemocracy/counciltax.aspx
