Education and council tax.

[matty-hodgson]

Today I received a bill for £36 a month council tax.
I'm still in full time education doing my A levels, so should I be paying council tax or not? I personally thought I was exempt until I finished my education.

And the Direct.Gov website is bloody useless. We pay for that site?!

[Domestic_Ginger]

If you are a full time student and do not live with anyone working then you are exempt.

Its been while for me but thats what I remember.

[GheeTsar]

Yes, you are exempt if you're in full time education:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Educatio...lege/DG_071488

[matty-hodgson]

Yes, you are exempt if you're in full time education:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Educatio...lege/DG_071488

That just says I'm entitled to a discount. This is annoying. Gonna have to go and get this sorted down at the "place where all this gets done" place aren't I?

[Flibb]

That just says I'm entitled to a discount. This is annoying. Gonna have to go and get this sorted down at the "place where all this gets done" place aren't I?

From that link

Council Tax discounts
A household where everyone is a full-time student is exempt from Council Tax and won’t get a bill.

[matty-hodgson]

From that link

Council Tax discounts
A household where everyone is a full-time student is exempt from Council Tax and won’t get a bill.

But I live with my dad. He isn't a full-time student. Not even part-time .

[scaryjim]

Indeed - write to them and tell them to bugger off Actually, don't write to them, try to find time to get into your local council offices before the end of the month. They should have a form you can fill and hand over there and then to apply for a student exemption. They'll almost certainly want a Council Tax exemption certificate (or letter confirming your educational status, at least) from your school / college as proof. If they try to spin you a line tell them it's in accordance with Paragraph 4 of Schedule 1 to the Local Government Finance Act 1992, and watch their faces fall

p.s. £36 is hella cheap - sounds like your property has probably got a 50% discount on it or something (either that or Carlisle's managed to set a stupidly low Council Tax this year!).

[GheeTsar]

That just says I'm entitled to a discount. This is annoying. Gonna have to go and get this sorted down at the "place where all this gets done" place aren't I?

I presume then, you live with others that are not in full time education? In which case, the council tax is for the whole house and it is up to all the bill payers how this is split (after the student discount which you can get, but not sure how you go about claiming).

When my friend was a student living with those who earned a salary, the people in the house didn't make him pay anything towards it. You may wish to talk with the others you live with and understand their expectations.

[GheeTsar]

But I live with my dad. He isn't a full-time student. Not even part-time .

If your Dad's already paying for Council Tax, then there is no need for any additional council tax to be paid. If he's asking you to pay a portion of the tax - well that's between you to sort out.

[scaryjim]

But I live with my dad. He isn't a full-time student. Not even part-time .

Ah, that changes things. Although not much. You're still disregarded, but the property is still liable to a charge since someone chargeable (your dad) lives there. What you need to do depends on a) whether your dad is already receiving the right discount, and b) whether anyone (doesn't have to be your dad) receives child benefit for you or not.

So, check the bill. It should have a 25% discount on it. If it does, everything's fine, because that the right discount for a single person.

If it doesn't, then either: if someone receives child benefit for you your dad needs to take the book into the council offices and get them to photocopy it and put the disregard on his account, or if not you need to get a letter from your school / college confirming that you're in full time education, and take that in to the council offices so they can put the appropriate disregard on the account.

Although tbh, since you've only just turned 18 and are still in fte someone *should* be receiving CB for you, and if no-one is then your dad needs to apply for it! Also, if your name is currently on the bill, it probably shouldn't be!

[matty-hodgson]

If your Dad's already paying for Council Tax, then there is no need for any additional council tax to be paid. If he's asking you to pay a portion of the tax - well that's between you to sort out.

So why have I received a letter today asking for £36 a month in council tax?

[jim]

That just says I'm entitled to a discount. This is annoying. Gonna have to go and get this sorted down at the "place where all this gets done" place aren't I?

No discount - if it's a single adult, then there's a reduction of 25%. For a student, no bill at all.

Having said that, the Direct.gov website seems to describe everything as a discount, potentially meaning a 100% discount.

If you go to this page you can go through your local council website and then download a form to send off.

My council's form looks like this, so you'd tick the exempt box and write "Student" or whatever the technical term they use is. The council should take it from there.


EDIT:

From above information, yes your dad should be getting a 25% discount if he's living only with students. The council might've made a mistake though, because you're only exempted from council tax as a child if child benefit is being received in your name from what I can gather on their site. Just contact them and let them know the situation and they should rectify it fairly quickly.

[matty-hodgson]

Although tbh, since you've only just turned 18 and are still in fte someone *should* be receiving CB for you, and if no-one is then your dad needs to apply for it! Also, if your name is currently on the bill, it probably shouldn't be!

My dad's currently in the process of sorting all that out. I was living with my mam until the 6th of March, then she kicked me out. Because she's a loony and needs help but won't admit it.

[scaryjim]

So why have I received a letter today asking for £36 a month in council tax?

Matty, I used to work in Housing / Council Tax benefit, and have training and qualifications in Council Tax law - feel free to PM me if you want to discuss it outside of a public forum...

[scaryjim]

I was living with my mam until the 6th of March, then she kicked me out.

Fair enough - tough situation to be in.

Basically, your name shouldn't be on the bill unless you own an equal share of your dad's house or you are joint tenants. I'm assuming neither of those apply! So you need to contact the council, explain that you are living with a parent and should not be named on the bill. Since they've already got your name on that account you can do that yourself. The council should then close down the old account and open a new one just in your dad's name.

You dad will need to make sure he gets his single person discount (I assume it's just the two of you living there?). But, being brutal, that's kind of his responsibility. If you want any more advice, my earlier offer stands, btw

[matty-hodgson]

My dad's just been down to the council offices, got it all sorted. I need to get proof from my 6th form of me attending there and my dad needs to fill out some stuff then I'm sorted .

And yes, it was because of the CB being processed through at the minute, it kinda skewed the system a bit and made them think I was an adult and no longer at school.

Cheers guys!