A house in Edinburgh lived in only by full-time students pays no council tax. At The City of Edinburgh Council's Band D charge of £1,626 a year, that exemption is worth about £136 a month — but only if you actually claim it.
| All-student household | Fully exempt |
| How to claim | Apply online; if your institution is not on the council's list you still apply online and then email your certificate to the income and benefits team. |
| Evidence they want | Nothing to send if you gave Edinburgh College, Heriot-Watt, Queen Margaret, Napier, SRUC or the University of Edinburgh permission to share your details; otherwise an emailed student certificate. |
| University sends your data directly | Yes |
| Band D charge, 2026/27 | £1,626 |
Scotland differs usefully: the reduction also cuts the water and sewerage charges on the bill. The council tax Band D shown is £1,626.05, but with Scottish Water charges the real Band D total is £2,278.37. The discount ends at the course end date, normally before graduation.
The councils nearest The City of Edinburgh Council on the Band D charge — what the exemption is worth where you might have gone instead. The full table has every one.
| City | Council | Band D |
|---|---|---|
| London (Westminster) | Westminster City Council | £1,048 |
| Edinburgh | The City of Edinburgh Council | £1,626 |
| Dundee | Dundee City Council | £1,730 |
| London (Lambeth) | Lambeth Council | £2,047 |
| Stoke-on-Trent | Stoke-on-Trent City Council | £2,183 |
| Colchester | Colchester City Council | £2,241 |
| York | City of York Council | £2,270 |
| Leeds | Leeds City Council | £2,272 |
| Portsmouth | Portsmouth City Council | £2,292 |
| Hull | Hull City Council | £2,295 |
| Lincoln | City of Lincoln Council | £2,323 |
No, not if every adult in the property is a full-time student — the household is exempt. The exemption has to be claimed; it does not apply itself just because you are a student.
Apply online; if your institution is not on the council's list you still apply online and then email your certificate to the income and benefits team.
Nothing to send if you gave Edinburgh College, Heriot-Watt, Queen Margaret, Napier, SRUC or the University of Edinburgh permission to share your details; otherwise an emailed student certificate.
Checked 18 August 2026 against edinburgh.gov.uk. Councils change their forms and evidence rules; the council's own page is the authority when you claim.
Processes checked 19 August 2026 against each council's own pages. This is information, not advice, and the council's page is the authority when you claim.