Who has to pay Council Tax?

Legislation sets out who must pay Council Tax. Whoever falls the highest on the 'ladder of liability' is the person liable to pay the Council Tax.

Council Tax assumes there are at least two adults (18 years old or over) living in the property. However, while all properties must register for Council Tax, you might not have to pay the full amount if you or others are on the exemption list.

If you are the only adult who lives in the property or if the other person(s) living in the property are on the exemption list, you can apply for a discount to get 25% off your bill.

If everyone in the property is on the exemption list (e.g. full-time students), then you will not have to pay Council Tax for that property.

If the property is unoccupied you may be eligible for a discount in certain circumstances.

Remember: While the property may be exempt from paying the full amount, you still need to register for Council Tax for that property, so we are aware who is living there. Once you have registered you can then apply for any discounts or exemptions you are eligible for.

 

Get in touch about Council Tax

The quickest way to contact us is by using our online forms which are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you need to speak to us give us a call during office hours and talk to our Customer Services team who will be happy to help.