What the discount is
A full council tax bill assumes two or more adults live in a home. If only one adult counts, you get a 25% discount. It applies in England, Scotland and Wales, and it is not means-tested: your income and savings do not matter.
Who qualifies
You can get the discount if you are aged 18 or over and either:
- you live alone; or
- everyone else who lives with you is disregarded for council tax, such as children or full-time students.
It is your main home that matters. A partner who lives elsewhere, a lodger who has their own main home somewhere else, or family who stay for a short time do not normally count. A lodger who lives with you as their main home does count, and would end the discount.
People who don't count
These people are not counted when working out how many adults live in a home:
- children under 18, and 18 and 19-year-olds for whom Child Benefit is still paid;
- full-time students, student nurses, apprentices and young people on some training schemes;
- people who are severely mentally impaired;
- many live-in carers caring for someone who is not their partner or child under 18;
- people in hospital, care homes, or prison, and some others.
So a parent living with two children gets the discount. So does someone living with a full-time university student. If no one in the home counts at all, the discount rises to 50%, and a home where everyone is a full-time student is exempt.
How much you save
- Full bill£2,280
- 25% discount−£570
| Full bill | Discount a year | Saving a month (over 12) | You pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| £1,500 | £375 | £31.25 | £1,125 |
| £2,000 | £500 | £41.67 | £1,500 |
| £2,392 | £598 | £49.83 | £1,794 |
| £3,000 | £750 | £62.50 | £2,250 |
| £4,000 | £1,000 | £83.33 | £3,000 |
£2,392 is the average Band D bill in England for 2026/27. Your saving depends on your own council's charge and your band.
Part of the year
The discount is worked out by the day. If you live alone for only part of the year, you get it for those days. For example, if your partner moves out and you live alone for the last 73 days of the year on a £2,190 bill:
- Full-year discount25% of £2,190£547.50
- Share of the year73 ÷ 365× 0.2
How to claim
- 1Apply to your council
Most councils have an online form. You will need your council tax account number.
- 2Give the date
Say when you started living alone, or when the other adults left or became disregarded.
- 3Get a new bill
The council sends a revised bill with the discount and any refund or lower instalments.
If you have been eligible for a while but never claimed, ask the council to backdate the discount. Most will backdate to the date you became eligible if you can show it, for example with a tenancy agreement or a letter.
When things change
You must tell your council if someone moves in or stops being disregarded, for example when a student finishes their course. In England you should do this within 21 days, and a penalty can apply if you don't.
Councils check
Councils regularly review single person discounts against electoral roll, credit reference and other records. If you claimed when not entitled, you will have to repay the discount and may face a penalty.
Other help with council tax
- Council Tax Reduction for people on a low income, which can be claimed on top of the discount.
- Disabled band reduction if your home has features needed by a disabled resident.
- Exemptions for some empty homes, annexes and homes where everyone is disregarded.
Our council tax bands calculator shows your full bill with discounts, reductions and premiums.
Examples
| Household | Adults counted | Discount |
|---|---|---|
| You live alone | 1 | 25% |
| You and your two children aged 9 and 14 | 1 | 25% |
| You and a 19-year-old at college with Child Benefit still paid | 1 | 25% |
| You and a partner who is a full-time university student | 1 | 25% |
| You and your adult son who works full time | 2 | None |
| You and a lodger whose main home is yours | 2 | None |
| Two full-time students only | 0 | Exempt |
The test is always the same: count the adults who live in the home as their main residence, then leave out anyone who is disregarded. If exactly one adult is left, you get 25% off.
Annexes and granny flats
A self-contained annexe can be a separate home for council tax with its own bill. If a family member lives there, it may get a 50% discount or be exempt. Ask your council how yours is treated.