Greenwich Council Tax Student Discount and Exemption: What Students Can Claim

Full Student Households: Complete Exemption

If every person in your property is a full-time student, the household is exempt from council tax under Class N. You pay nothing. This applies whether you are undergraduates sharing a house, a couple both studying full time, or a solo student in a flat.

To qualify as a full-time student for council tax purposes, you generally need to be enrolled on a course that lasts at least one academic year and involves at least 21 hours of study per week. Most standard undergraduate and postgraduate degrees meet this threshold.

Apply for the exemption through Greenwich Council's council tax section on royalgreenwich.gov.uk. You will need student verification letters from your university or college for every person in the property.

Mixed Households: The 25% Discount

If you live with non-students — say, a working partner — the household is not exempt. But students are "disregarded" when counting adults for council tax purposes. If disregarding the students leaves only one countable adult, the property gets the 25% Single Person Discount.

For example: you share a flat with your partner. You are a full-time student; your partner works. Your partner is the only countable adult, so the household qualifies for the 25% discount.

If two or more non-students live in the property, no discount applies. The students are still disregarded, but there are still multiple countable adults.

Students and Council Tax Reduction

Full-time students are generally excluded from claiming Council Tax Reduction (LCTS) in Greenwich. The main exceptions are:

• Lone parents who are students
• Disabled students
• Students receiving income-related benefits

If you fall into one of these categories, you can apply for LCTS alongside any student discount or exemption you already have.

For most students, the Class N exemption (all-student households) or the 25% discount (mixed households) is the relevant route rather than LCTS.

What to Do When You Graduate

Your student exemption or discount ends when you stop being a full-time student. If you graduate in the summer, your exemption typically ends at the end of the academic term. Report the change to Greenwich Council so they can update your bill.

If you are now working on a low income, you may qualify for Council Tax Reduction under the working-age scheme. The 80% cap, 25% taper, and other rules apply just as they do for any other working-age resident. Apply through the LCTS portal — the process is separate from the student exemption.

Postgraduate and Part-Time Students

Part-time students do not qualify for the student disregard or Class N exemption. If you are studying part time and on a low income, your route is LCTS rather than the student exemption.

Postgraduate students on full-time courses that meet the hours threshold do qualify. PhD students working as teaching assistants or researchers should check with their university whether their role is classified as study or employment for council tax purposes.

For guidance on how student status interacts with other discounts and the full LCTS scheme, see our Greenwich Council Tax Reduction guide.

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