How much is the single person discount on Council Tax?

Full answer

The single person discount is one of the most widely used Council Tax reductions, based simply on the number of adults counted as resident in a property, rather than income or savings. **The basic 25% discount** Council Tax bills are normally calculated assuming two or more adults live in the property; if only ONE adult lives there as their main home, the council applies a 25% discount to the full bill automatically once you apply and confirm your circumstances -- this discount is a flat 25% regardless of the property's Council Tax band, so it is worth proportionally more in cash terms on higher-band properties. **'Disregarded' persons can still leave you eligible with more than one resident** Certain categories of resident are 'disregarded' when councils count the number of adults in a property for discount purposes, including full-time students, some apprentices, people who are severely mentally impaired (with appropriate medical certification and, in most cases, entitlement to a qualifying benefit), and certain live-in carers -- if a household has two adults but one is a disregarded person, the household can still qualify for the 25% single person discount, since only one 'counted' adult remains. **Full exemption versus discount** If EVERY adult in a property is a disregarded person (for example, a property occupied only by full-time students), the property may be entirely EXEMPT from Council Tax rather than merely discounted -- this is a different, more generous outcome than the 25% single person discount, and applies where no adult in the household counts towards the bill at all. **Worked example** A parent lives with their adult child who is a full-time university student. Because the student is a disregarded person, the household is treated as having only one counted adult (the parent) for Council Tax purposes, and can claim the 25% single person discount despite two adults actually living in the property. **You must apply -- it is not automatic** The single person discount is not applied automatically just because you happen to live alone -- you need to notify your local council and confirm your circumstances, and you must also tell the council promptly if your circumstances change (for example, a partner moves in, or a disregarded person's status changes), since continuing to receive the discount incorrectly can lead to backdated bills. **Practical tip** If you live with only one other adult who might qualify as disregarded (a full-time student, apprentice, or someone with a qualifying severe mental impairment), check with your council whether you are still eligible for the 25% discount, since many households incorrectly assume the discount only applies to people living entirely alone.

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