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Orkney Islands Council

Council Tax - Student reductions

Information Leaflet

IMAGE: The Orkney Islands Council crest and logo appear at the upper right of the leaflet. The text in the logo reads “ORKNEY ISLANDS COUNCIL”.

1. Introduction

If you are a student you may be entitled to a reduction in the amount of Council Tax that you pay. If you are aged 18 years or over and live alone, or all occupants are students, you may be entitled to full relief from payment of Council Tax for the duration of your studies. If there are two people aged 18 years or over and one is a student you may be entitled to a Council Tax discount of 25 per cent.

2. Who is counted as a student?

A student is someone who falls within one of the following three categories.

  • a Foreign Language Student.
  • undertaking a qualifying course of education.
  • undertaking a full-time course of education.

More detailed definitions of these categories are set out in the following sections.

2.1. A Foreign Language Assistant

You must be registered as a foreign language assistant with the British Council, and are appointed as such at a school or other educational establishment in Great Britain.

2.2. Undertaking a qualifying course of education

You must be aged under 20 and,

  • undertaking a qualifying course, or courses, of education with a single establishment in for more than 12 hours per week.
  • you must not be an Apprentice or a Youth Training Trainee.
  • the course must last for more than 3 months.
  • the course is not being undertaken as a consequence of your employment.
  • tuition is principally received otherwise than through correspondence.
  • tuition, supervised study, experiment, project or practical work are normally undertaken principally between 08.00 and 17.30 hours.
  • the course is not one of higher education – for example, is not a first-degree course, a post-graduate course, a Higher National Diploma or Higher National Certificate, Scottish Vocational Qualification Level Four, or the Diploma in Management Studies.

2.3. Undertaking a full-time course of education

You must be a student undertaking a course of education which falls within one of the following 4 categories.

  • a course of further education - meaning any programme of learning, not being school education, provided for persons over school age and prepares a person for a vocational qualification or a qualification awarded by the Scottish Qualifications Authority, or prepares a person for access to higher education.
  • a course of higher education – meaning a course of study at a higher level in preparation for a higher diploma or certificate, a first-degree course, a course for the education and training of teachers, a course of post-graduate studies (including a higher degree course), or a course at a higher level in preparation for a qualification from a professional body.
  • A course leading to a licentiate of a theological college.
  • A course which is equivalent to any course referred to above.

You must also be undertaking a course in education provided by recognised educational establishment.

In respect of your course of study you are normally required by the educational institution to undertake:

  • periods of study, work experience or tuition (whether that tuition is received at the premises of the institution, through correspondence or otherwise), and,
  • periods of study, work experience or tuition amounting to at least 24 weeks within each academic year of the institution, and an average of at least 21 hours per week.

3. Certificates from an Educational Establishment

The educational establishment that you attend will have to provide a certificate confirming your attendance on the course.

4. Finding out more information

This leaflet deals with the main features of Council Tax reductions for students. It does not cover every detail and should not be regarded as a comprehensive statement of the law.

If you need further information you should contact the Council Tax Section, Orkney Islands Council, Council Offices, Kirkwall, KW15 1NY.

Telephone: 01856873535 Extension 2133.

Telephone: 01856886322 (direct dial).

Email: revenues@orkney.gov.uk

Orkney Islands Council website: http://www.orkney.gov.uk/

Document date – June 2018.