A sole or main residence is the term that the High Court uses for the permanent address that is your only or main house.

You may have to pay the full charge of Council Tax if at least two adults live at a property as their sole or main residence.

However, if you live on your own, you may be entitled to a 25% single person discount.

What we count as ‘residence’

A ‘Residence’ is a home that you live in permanently (until you move out). Someone staying temporarily at an address does not automatically make them a ‘resident’ there. For example, someone staying with you for a holiday would not be classed as ‘living’ at your address. But if someone stayed with you temporarily because they had nowhere else to live, they would be treated as living with you.

If your spouse, partner, adult child, or sub-tenant/lodger, works away for most of the year, we treat them as living at your address, so you will not get a discount. This also includes children studying away from home.

However, in the case of students, they may be eligible for a student exemption or discount.