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 2 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.
In the case that your:
- spouse or partner
- adult child (aged 18 years or over)
- sub-tenant or lodger
Works away for most of the year, we treat them as living at your address so you will not get a discount.
We will consider children (under 18 years of age) studying away from home as living at your address.
In the case of full time students, they may be eligible for a student exemption or discount.