A house in London (Lambeth) lived in only by full-time students pays no council tax. At Lambeth Council's Band D charge of £2,047 a year, that exemption is worth about £171 a month — but only if you actually claim it.
| All-student household | Fully exempt |
| How to claim | Apply online for an exemption if only students live there, or for a discount in a mixed household. Students in university or college halls do not need to apply at all. |
| Evidence they want | A student certificate from the university or college for everyone applying, uploaded through a separate evidence form after you submit. You also need the Council Tax account number, the addresses and course details, the names and move-in dates of every adult, and the landlord or agent's details. |
| University sends your data directly | No — you must claim it yourself |
| Band D charge, 2026/27 | £2,047 |
Halls are handled without an application: 'student halls provided by your university or college - you do not need to apply at all.' Over-20s need a course of 24+ weeks at 21+ hours a week; under-20s need 3+ months at 12+ hours. Band D 2026-27 of £2,047.11 read from https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/council-tax/bands-rates, which publishes 2025-26 and 2026-27 side by side (2025-26 was £1,953.95).
A household with both students and non-students applies for a discount rather than an exemption.
The councils nearest Lambeth 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 for an exemption if only students live there, or for a discount in a mixed household. Students in university or college halls do not need to apply at all.
A student certificate from the university or college for everyone applying, uploaded through a separate evidence form after you submit. You also need the Council Tax account number, the addresses and course details, the names and move-in dates of every adult, and the landlord or agent's details.
A household with both students and non-students applies for a discount rather than an exemption.
Checked 19 August 2026 against lambeth.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.