Student status for council tax exemptions

 

Students Living in University Residences

University residences are exempt from Council Tax. This means that students living in University residences do not pay Council Tax, and do not need to register with the local authority Council Tax Office.

 

Students Living Outside University Residences

1. Full-time students undertaking courses of at least a full academic year are entitled to student status for Council Tax purposes, and can print a Council Tax certificate confirming their status from the University. Such students will be exempt from paying Council Tax if they are living on their own or in accommodation whose other adult occupants are all also full-time students undertaking courses of at least a full academic year.

Where the other adults are all non-British dependants of the student, Council Tax may not be payable. The relevant local authority Council Tax Office can advise on liability.

 

2. Full-time students undertaking courses of at least a full academic year, living in accommodation with other adults who do not have student status for Council Tax, may qualify, in some circumstances, for a partial discount on their Council Tax bill. Enquiries may be addressed to the relevant local authority Council Tax Office or to the Union of UEA Students Advice Centre in Union House.

 

  • Please contact your local authority Council Tax Office for further details of how to register with them for Council Tax purposes, as they will require you to provide them with a note of the address that the registration relates to and basic information regarding your occupancy of the property as well as your student Council Tax Certificate.
  • Eligible students who register for their course mid-year, or whose status changes so that they become eligible for a certificate, can print a certificate from the relevant link on their e:vision home page.
  • Please note that if you remain living outside of UEA residences after the end date stated on your Council Tax Exemption Certificate you may no longer be eligible for Council Tax exemption.  Please check with your local Council Tax office.

 

3. Under Council Tax legislation, you are required to inform your local authority Council Tax Office if you cease to be eligible for a discount or exemption (eg. if you withdraw from your course, change from a full-time to a part-time course, change to a shorter course, have a reduction to your postgraduate period of study or cease to be the sole occupant of the property).

 

4. Part-time students and postgraduate taught students who have been granted extra time in which to submit work for their course are not eligible to receive student Council Tax certificates and are, therefore, not exempt from paying Council Tax unless they live in University residences (see paragraph 1 above). The Union of UEA Students Advice Centre in Union House may be able to advise further regarding possible alternative discounts and/or benefits available to such students.

 

5. Students in receipt of a certificate, who subsequently interrupt their period of study and later return to their full-time course, will not be liable to pay Council Tax for the period of interruption. However, students who do not return to their full-time course following a period of interruption to study will cease to be eligible for student status for Council Tax from the date on which they commenced their period of interruption to study.