Student council tax in Reading
A property occupied entirely by full-time students in Reading is fully exempt from council tax. A Band D household keeps the full £2,299 a year it would otherwise have to pay.
Quick answer
Full-time students in Reading are fully exempt from council tax if every resident is a student. A property in Band D would otherwise pay £2,299 a year, so a fully student-occupied household saves the full amount. If one resident is not a student, the household pays the bill with a 25% discount because students are not counted as adults for council tax purposes.
Three common situations
Scenario 1: all-student household
Every adult in the property is a full-time student. The property is fully exempt. No bill is issued. In Reading that means a Band D household keeps £2,299 a year that would otherwise leave their accounts.
Scenario 2: one non-student, the rest students
The non-student becomes liable for the bill. Students are not counted as adults, so the non-student gets a 25% single-person discount. A Band D household pays £1,724 instead of £2,299.
Scenario 3: two or more non-students
The bill is paid at the full rate. The students in the household don't add to it, but they don't reduce it either. A Band D household pays the full £2,299 a year.
Mixed-household savings by band in Reading
When a single non-student lives with one or more students, the household qualifies for the 25% single-person discount. Below is what each band saves in Reading under that arrangement, for 2025/26.
| Band | Full charge | With 25% off | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | £1,533 | £1,150 | £383 |
| B | £1,788 | £1,341 | £447 |
| C | £2,044 | £1,533 | £511 |
| D | £2,299 | £1,724 | £575 |
| E | £2,810 | £2,107 | £703 |
| F | £3,321 | £2,491 | £830 |
| G | £3,832 | £2,874 | £958 |
| H | £4,598 | £3,448 | £1,150 |
An all-student household pays nothing in any band: the property is fully exempt.
Who counts as a full-time student?
For council tax purposes a full-time student is on a course of at least one academic year that runs at least 24 weeks a year and demands at least 21 hours of study per week. That captures most:
- YesFull-time undergraduate degrees, master's, PGCEs, and PhDs while registered.
- YesUnder-20s in school sixth form or further education (12+ hours a week).
- YesForeign-language assistants registered with the British Council.
- YesStudent nurses on diploma-level courses or full-time pre-registration training.
- NoPart-time courses (even if intensive). Distance learning unless registered as full-time. Apprentices on the apprentice levy (separate rules apply).
How to apply in Reading
- 1Get your council tax exemption certificate. Most universities and colleges issue them through their student portal. It states your course start date, end date, and confirms you're full-time.
- 2Submit it to Reading Council. Most councils take applications online; search “student council tax” on the council website. Provide the certificate, your address, and the names of everyone in the household.
- 3Wait for the revised bill or exemption notice. Typically 2 to 4 weeks. The exemption is backdated to the date the household became fully student-occupied.
- 4Tell the council when you graduate or move. The exemption ends on your course end date. From that date the standard council tax rules kick back in. Late notification can mean recovering the tax owed plus a penalty.
Frequently asked questions
Are full-time students exempt from council tax in Reading?▾
Yes. A property in Reading where every resident is a full-time student is fully exempt from council tax. No bill is issued. The same rule applies across England, Scotland, and Wales.
What counts as a full-time student for council tax in Reading?▾
A course of at least one academic year that runs for at least 24 weeks a year and involves at least 21 hours of study per week. Most undergraduate degrees, master's degrees, PGCEs, and full-time PhDs qualify. Part-time courses and most distance learning do not.
What if one person in the house is not a student?▾
The exemption no longer applies. The non-student becomes liable for the bill, but they get a 25% single-person discount because the students are not counted as adults for council tax. In Reading, that means a Band D household pays £1,724 a year instead of £2,299.
What about students under 20 in school sixth form?▾
Anyone under 20 still in school or further education (A-levels, BTECs, NVQs) is treated like a full-time student for council tax. The course must be at least 12 hours a week and not at degree level. The household exemption applies as usual.
Do I have to apply for the student exemption in Reading?▾
Yes. Reading Council does not apply it automatically. You'll need to provide a council tax exemption certificate from your university or college (most institutions issue them online) and submit it to the council via their website or by post. The exemption is backdated to the date you became a student-occupied household.
What happens during the summer holidays?▾
Students remain classed as students for council tax purposes during the official course breaks, including the summer holiday between academic years. The exemption continues. It ends on the official course end date, usually late June or July of your final year, after which the standard council tax rules apply.
Are PhD students exempt?▾
Full-time PhD students are exempt for the typical three to four years of registration. Once you submit your thesis you are usually classed as no longer a registered student, even if you have not yet had the viva. Check the date your university puts on your council tax certificate; Reading Council will use that date.
Are international students treated differently?▾
No, the rules are identical. International students on a full-time course of at least 24 weeks a year qualify for the exemption the same as UK students.
Student council tax in nearby councils
The exemption rules are identical across England. What changes is the bill amount if your household has even one non-student.
More on Reading council tax
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