Answers · UK 2025/26

How does the single person council tax discount work?

If you are the only adult living in your home, you get a 25% discount on your council tax bill. It applies to anyone who lives alone, regardless of income. You claim it from your local council, and the discount continues until another adult moves in and you must tell the council.

Last updated: 7 June 2026Last reviewed: 7 June 2026How we verify

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Council tax is calculated on the assumption that at least two adults live in a property, so if you are the only adult resident you are entitled to a 25% single person discount on your bill. This applies to anyone living alone, whatever their income, and is one of the most common council tax reductions. To get it you must apply to your local council, usually through a simple online form, and the discount is then applied to your annual bill, cutting it by a quarter. So if your full band D bill is £2,200 a year, the single person discount reduces it to about £1,650. Importantly, certain people are disregarded for council tax, meaning they are not counted as adults living in the property. These include full-time students, apprentices on low pay, people who are severely mentally impaired, live-in carers and 18 and 19-year-olds in full-time education. If everyone in your home except one person is disregarded, you can still claim the 25% single person discount, and if everyone is disregarded you may get a 50% or even 100% reduction. You must tell the council promptly if your circumstances change, for example if another adult moves in, because continuing to claim the discount when you are no longer eligible can lead to a penalty and a demand for backdated tax. The single person discount is separate from Council Tax Reduction, a means-tested scheme for people on low incomes, and you can sometimes receive both. Use a council tax calculator to estimate your bill for your band and area before and after the discount.