King's College London - Council Tax Exemption

What the Council Tax exemption gives you

If you are studying full-time at King’s College London, you do not have to pay Council Tax. This saves you a bill that can amount to well over a thousand pounds a year. Council Tax is a local authority charge that every household in the UK normally pays for services such as refuse collection, libraries, the police and the fire service. The amount depends on the property and the number of residents. Full-time students are legally exempt from this charge, and King’s College will confirm your student status so that the exemption applies. This is neither a cash payment nor a grant; it simply saves you costs that you would otherwise have to bear.

Who is exempt

• Type of study: You are enrolled on a full-time degree programme. This must last for at least 1 calendar or academic years, comprise at least 24 weeks during this period, and provide for at least 21 hours per week for study, teaching or work placements during the lecture term.
• Timing: The exemption applies only to the official course dates, i.e. from the recorded start date to the expected end date.
• Nationality: It is open to students of all nationalities. Students from the EU and other countries are treated in exactly the same way as British students.
• Where you live: Students living in halls of residence (King’s Residences) are automatically exempt from the charge. In a private household where all residents are full-time students, the entire household is exempt from the charge; however, you must apply for this exemption. If you live with non-students, the charge will apply to the property, and these people may ask you to contribute towards it, even though you are not personally liable.
• Not covered: Part-time and distance-learning students are not exempt from this. They must also pay council tax during the period between two courses of study, for example between a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree.

How to claim it

Download a certificate of enrolment from your student portal (MyKCL) to confirm that you are enrolled. Send this to your local council. If you unexpectedly receive a local tax notice, please contact your local council immediately. The ‘King’s Money and Housing Advice Team’ will be happy to help you with any queries you may have.

How realistic is it for you?

This is a statutory entitlement rather than a competitive allocation process; therefore, there is neither a selection process nor a limited funding framework. If you are a full-time student on an eligible degree programme and live in a hall of residence or accommodation reserved exclusively for students, the exemption is essentially automatic once you have submitted proof of enrolment. However, there are a few cases where you may still have to pay: if you are studying part-time or via distance learning, if you live with non-students, or during the period between two degree programmes.