Council tax discounts for students, apprenticeships and trainees

You can get a discount if:

• Everyone at the property is a student, this means you are exempt and there is nothing to pay, but you must still apply - student halls of residence are automatically exempt
• Everyone at the property is an apprentice or trainee you can get a 50 percent discount
• One adult in the property isn't a student, apprentice or trainee they'll need to pay Council Tax but can get a 25 percent discount

Qualifying for a student discount

You can get a student discount if:

• You're studying on a full time course with a university or college for at least one academic year. The course must consist of at least 21 hours attendance per week for at least 24 weeks in the year of study, tuition or work experience
• You're under 20 years old and studying on a course of further education for at least 3 months. The course must consist of at least 12 hours per week of study, tuition or work experience. The course must not be undertaken by correspondence, or in consequence of the person’s job nor must it be a course of high education
• You're a foreign language assistant, registered with the British Council, for the period employed in the UK by an educational establishment

You won't qualify for a student discount if there are 2 or more adults living in the property who are not students.

You'll need to provide one the following so that we can verify your application: 

• Your valid Student ID Number if you attend Reading University
• Your student certificate from your university or college including your name, address, the name of the college or university, the name of the course and duration of the course 

Qualifying for an apprentice discount

You can get an apprentice Council Tax discount if you are:

• Employed to learn a trade, business, profession, in office or vocational work, and    
• Undertaking a programme of training leading to a qualification, and
• Earning a salary or in receipt of an allowance or both, which are, in total no more than £195.00 per week

Qualifying for a youth trainee discount

You can get a youth trainee Council Tax discount if you are:

• Under 25 years of age, and
• Undertaking a course on an approved training scheme such as TCT, Options, Future and Next Step

How to apply

Apply for a student, apprentice or trainee discount

Student nurses

If you’re a student nurse taking a course which, leads to registration under the Nurses, Midwives and Health visitors Act 1979 then you might be eligible for a Council Tax discount. 

To apply, complete the Student Nurse discount form (PDF document)