How much Council Tax do I pay on a second home?
A second home is normally charged full Council Tax, and many councils can now add a premium on top for furnished homes that are no one main residence. Limited discounts exist in particular cases, such as job-related dwellings. The rules are set locally, so you check with your council.
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Check what you're owed →A second home for Council Tax is a furnished property that is not anyone main home, such as a holiday cottage or a flat kept for occasional use. Historically these sometimes attracted a discount, but most councils have removed that and a number now apply an additional premium instead.
The aim of the premium is the same as for empty homes: to free up housing. This means owning a furnished second property can cost more than the standard charge, depending on where it is and your council policy.
There are narrow exceptions, including dwellings you must occupy for your job and certain pitches and moorings. If your property is genuinely a holiday let available to the public for enough of the year, it may instead fall under business rates, which is a separate question worth checking.
How to manage second home Council Tax
- Confirm the status. Check whether the property is a furnished second home, a let property or a genuine holiday let.
- Check council policy. Ask your council whether a second home premium applies and how it is calculated.
- Look for an exception. See whether a job-related dwelling discount or another narrow exception applies to you.
- Consider business rates. If it is a qualifying holiday let, check whether business rates rather than Council Tax apply.
Frequently asked questions
- Do second homes get a discount?
- Rarely now. Most councils have removed the old second home discount, and many apply a premium instead, so the full charge or more is usual.
- What is a second home premium?
- It is an extra charge some councils add to furnished homes that are no one main residence, on top of the standard Council Tax.
- Are there any exceptions?
- Yes, limited ones such as job-related dwellings you must live in for work, and certain other categories defined by the rules.
- What about a holiday let?
- A genuine holiday let available to let for enough of the year may fall under business rates rather than Council Tax, which is assessed separately.
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