Can I claim a Council Tax discount if I live alone with my children?
If you live only with your children who are under 18, you count as the only adult in the home and can claim the single person discount, because children are not counted for Council Tax. This is not means-tested. You apply directly to your council.
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Check what you're owed →Council Tax counts adults, not the size of the household. People under 18 are simply not counted, so a single parent living with any number of under-18 children is treated as a sole adult. That makes them eligible for the single adult discount in the same way as someone living completely alone.
This stays true as long as no other adult has the home as their main residence. If an older child turns 18, or a partner or lodger moves in, the position can change, although some 18 and 19 year olds at school or who have just left school are still disregarded for a time.
Because the discount is based only on who is counted, your income and benefits are irrelevant to it, though you may separately qualify for means-tested Council Tax Reduction on top. It is worth claiming the discount and checking your full entitlement to benefits and reductions together.
How a lone parent claims the single adult discount
- Confirm only children live with you. Check that no other adult has your home as their main residence.
- Apply for the discount. Complete the single person discount form on your council website.
- Add other claims. Check whether you also qualify for Council Tax Reduction and apply if so.
- Report changes. Tell the council if a child turns 18 and is no longer disregarded, or an adult moves in.
Key figures (official sources)
- 25% offSingle-person Council Tax discount (only one adult resident)Source: GOV.UK — How Council Tax works: who has to pay (checked 2026-06-28)
Frequently asked questions
- Do my children affect the single person discount?
- No. Under-18s are not counted as adults, so a parent living only with their children is treated as the only adult and can claim the discount.
- What happens when my child turns 18?
- They start to count as an adult, though some 18 and 19 year olds still at school or recently left school remain disregarded for a period, which can preserve the discount.
- Is this discount means-tested?
- No. It depends only on being the sole counted adult. You may also qualify separately for means-tested Council Tax Reduction.
- Can I claim both a discount and a reduction?
- Yes. The single adult discount and Council Tax Reduction are different things and can apply together if you qualify for both.
MoneyFinder is an independent sign-posting service that helps you find financial support you may be entitled to. We are not a government body and do not provide financial advice. Figures are taken from the official sources cited above and were correct when last checked — always confirm current details on the linked GOV.UK pages.