Lambeth Council Tax Discounts and Exemptions: Students, Single Person, SMI

Discounts and Exemptions Are Different From Council Tax Reduction

Lambeth's Council Tax Reduction scheme is means-tested — it looks at your income and savings to decide how much support you get. But statutory discounts and exemptions work differently. They're based on your household circumstances, not your income, and they apply before any means-tested reduction is calculated.

That distinction matters because you can stack them. A single parent on a low income could get the 25% single person discount first, then have their CTR calculated on the reduced bill. Both reduce what you pay, but through different mechanisms.

Single Person Discount (25%)

If you're the only adult living in your property, you're entitled to a 25% reduction on your council tax bill. This is the most common discount nationally and it's automatic once Lambeth knows you live alone.

"Adults" for this purpose excludes certain people who are "disregarded" — full-time students, people with severe mental impairment, live-in carers, and some others. So a household with one non-disregarded adult plus a full-time student still qualifies for the single person discount.

To claim, contact Lambeth Council through the MyLambeth portal or phone the council tax helpline. You'll need to declare who lives at the property. Lambeth periodically reviews single person discount claims, often using credit reference data, so make sure to report it if another adult moves in — the 21-day reporting rule applies and failing to report can result in a £70 penalty.

Student Exemption

A property occupied entirely by full-time students is exempt from council tax — you pay nothing. "Full-time" generally means a course lasting at least one academic year, requiring study or attendance for at least 24 weeks a year, and involving an average of at least 21 hours a week. Different criteria apply to under-20s on qualifying further-education courses.

If the household includes a mix of students and non-students, the property isn't exempt but the students are "disregarded." A single non-student living with students gets the 25% single person discount instead.

You'll need a council tax exemption certificate from your university or college. Lambeth's student exemption form asks for your student ID, institution name, and course dates. International students on valid visas qualify on the same terms as UK students.

Severe Mental Impairment (SMI) Disregard

A person certified as having severe mental impairment is disregarded for council tax purposes. This means they don't count as an adult occupier. The practical effects:

• If they live alone, the property gets a 100% discount (Class U exemption)
• If they live with one other adult, that adult can claim the 25% single person discount
• If all adult residents have SMI, the property is fully exempt

To qualify, the person needs a certificate from a registered medical practitioner confirming severe mental impairment, and they must be entitled to a qualifying benefit (such as the daily living component of PIP, Attendance Allowance, ESA, or Universal Credit with limited capability for work). The discount may be backdated to when the person met the medical and qualifying-benefit conditions, potentially generating a significant refund.

This is one of the most underclaimed discounts. Conditions that commonly qualify include dementia, severe learning disabilities, and brain injuries. If you care for someone with one of these conditions, it's worth checking.

Empty and Unoccupied Property Discounts

Lambeth's treatment of empty properties follows the national framework with local variations:

• Properties undergoing major repair or structural alteration — may qualify for an exception from the empty-home premium for up to 12 months; standard Council Tax remains payable
• Properties left empty by someone in care, hospital, or prison — exempt while unoccupied for that reason
• Long-term empty properties — if unoccupied and substantially unfurnished, Lambeth charges a 100% premium after more than one year (200% of the normal bill), 200% after more than five years (300% total), and 300% after more than ten years (400% total)
• Second homes — Lambeth charges a 100% premium (200% of the normal bill)

If you own an empty property in Lambeth, contact the council tax team to check which category applies. A probate property can be exempt while the estate is waiting for probate and for up to six months afterwards, provided it remains unoccupied and has not been sold or transferred to a beneficiary.

How Discounts Interact With Council Tax Reduction

Statutory discounts are applied first, reducing your gross bill. Lambeth's working-age CTR scheme then calculates your support as a percentage of that already-reduced net liability. For someone with the single person discount, CTR is calculated on 75% of the full bill — and 73.5% of that lower figure can be a meaningful saving.

If you think you qualify for both a discount and Council Tax Reduction, apply for the discount first (or at the same time as your CTR application). The Lambeth Council Tax Reduction guide explains how the income bands and reduction percentages work on top of any discounts you already have.

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