A house in Plymouth lived in only by full-time students pays no council tax. At Plymouth City Council's Band D charge of £2,442 a year, that exemption is worth about £203 a month — but only if you actually claim it.
| All-student household | Fully exempt |
| How to claim | Apply through the council's online self-service form 'Apply for a student exemption or discount' — but students in university/college halls do not apply at all. |
| Evidence they want | The page does not name a specific document: 'Discounts are not given automatically, we may ask you for proof or inspect your home.' |
| University sends your data directly | No — you must claim it yourself |
| Band D charge, 2026/27 | £2,442 |
'A property is exempt from Council Tax if everyone living there is a full-time university or college student.' Halls are automatic: 'If you live in a student hall of residence provided by your university or college then you do not need to apply. You are already exempt.' Important Plymouth quirk — in an HMO (more than one household, or tenants each with their own tenancy for part of the property) the owner, not the students, is liable. You must keep paying while the application is assessed and are refunded if entitled. The council's site blocks WebFetch (HTTP 403); read directly over HTTPS with a browser user agent. Band D verified at https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/council-tax-bands-and-charges (page headed 'Council Tax bands and charges 2026/27').
Over-20s need 24+ weeks and 21+ hours a week; under-20s need 3+ months and 12+ hours a week — part-time study below that does not qualify, and a household with a liable non-student still gets a bill though that person may get a discount.
The councils nearest Plymouth City 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Loughborough | Charnwood Borough Council | £2,378 |
| Bath | Bath and North East Somerset Council | £2,383 |
| Canterbury | Canterbury City Council | £2,398 |
| Bournemouth | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP Council) | £2,400 |
| Huddersfield | Kirklees Council | £2,430 |
| Plymouth | Plymouth City Council | £2,442 |
| Lancaster | Lancaster City Council | £2,461 |
| Cambridge | Cambridge City Council | £2,467 |
| Durham | Durham County Council | £2,500 |
| Guildford | Guildford Borough Council | £2,501 |
| Norwich | Norwich City Council | £2,503 |
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 through the council's online self-service form 'Apply for a student exemption or discount' — but students in university/college halls do not apply at all.
The page does not name a specific document: 'Discounts are not given automatically, we may ask you for proof or inspect your home.'
Over-20s need 24+ weeks and 21+ hours a week; under-20s need 3+ months and 12+ hours a week — part-time study below that does not qualify, and a household with a liable non-student still gets a bill though that person may get a discount.
Checked 18 August 2026 against plymouth.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.