Costs & admin · Movesmith guide
Council tax when moving house: who to tell, when, and how to avoid paying twice
Tell both your old and new councils, expect a final bill from one and a fresh bill from the other, and claim any discount you're due. Here's exactly how council tax works when you move home in the UK.
Last reviewed June 2026 · 6 min read
Council tax is one of the easiest moving-day admin jobs to forget — and one of the few that can cost you money if you do. The councils don't talk to each other, your Direct Debit doesn't follow you, and a few overlap days can mean two bills at once. This guide covers who to notify, when, what you'll need, and the discounts and refunds most people miss.
The short version
- Tell both councils — the one you're leaving and the one you're moving to. They don't share move information, and your conveyancer or letting agent won't do it for you.
- Do it as soon as you have a confirmed date. Most councils take a notification up to about a month ahead via a 10-minute online form.
- Council tax is charged per property, per day. A short overlap between two homes can mean you're liable for both for those days.
- Set up a new Direct Debit at your new council — the old one won't transfer. You'll get a final bill (or a refund) from your old council.
- Claim what you're owed: 25% single-person discount, full exemption for all-student households, and short empty/unfurnished exemptions some councils still offer.
Do you have to tell the council when you move?
Yes — and usually you have to tell two councils: the one you're leaving and the one you're moving to. Councils don't share change-of-address information with each other, and they don't find out automatically from your solicitor, conveyancer or letting agent.
If you don't tell them, two things can go wrong: your old council keeps billing you for a home you've left, and your new council eventually issues a backdated bill from your move-in date. There's no penalty for the notification itself, but you stay liable for whatever you actually owe — so it's always cheaper to sort it promptly.
Who to notify, and when
- Your current (old) council — tell them your move-out date so they close your account and send a final bill.
- Your new council — tell them your move-in date so they open an account in your name from the right day.
- Moving within the same council area — you only notify once; they transfer your account to the new address.
On timing: notify as soon as you have a confirmed completion or tenancy date. Most councils accept a notification up to around a month in advance and give you a short window afterwards. The online "moving home" or "change of address" form on each council's website is the fastest route — it usually takes under ten minutes.
Renting?
Your liability normally starts the day your tenancy begins and ends the day it ends — not the day you physically move your boxes. Give the council your exact tenancy dates so you're billed for the right period.
What you'll need to notify them
Have these to hand before you start the online form — it makes both the closing and the opening account quick:
- Your old and new addresses, with postcodes
- Your move date (and tenancy start/end dates if you rent)
- The names of every adult who'll be liable at the new address
- Whether you own or rent each property
- Your old council tax account number (it's on your bill) to close that account
- Bank details, if you're setting up a new Direct Debit
Will you pay council tax on two homes at once?
Sometimes, briefly — and it's worth understanding why so you're not over-charged. Council tax is charged per day, per property, to whoever is liable for it. If your purchase completes a few days before your rental tenancy ends, or you own an empty home between selling and the buyer completing, you can be liable for both properties during the overlap.
- Because liability runs by the day, a short overlap is usually a small amount, not a second full bill.
- An empty, unfurnished property may get a short exemption or discount from some councils — but many now charge full council tax on empty homes.
- Long-term empty homes (typically two years or more) attract a premium on top of the normal bill, which rises the longer the home stays empty.
If an overlap is unavoidable, you generally can't escape paying for those days — but make sure each council has your exact dates so you pay only for the days you were genuinely responsible.
Council tax discounts and exemptions to claim
Moving is the natural moment to check you're on the right discount — entitlements don't apply automatically, you have to claim them from your council.
| Who | What you may get |
|---|---|
| Living alone (only adult resident) | 25% single-person discount |
| Household of only full-time students | Full exemption (you'll need student certificates) |
| Empty and unfurnished home | A short exemption or discount in some councils — varies widely |
| Severely mentally impaired residents / certain live-in carers | Disregarded when counting adults, which can mean a discount or exemption |
| Annexes / some job-related second homes | Possible discount |
If you think you qualify for any of these, apply through your council's website — most have a dedicated form for each discount.
Direct Debit, final bills and refunds
- Your Direct Debit does not move with you. Set up a fresh one with your new council, and cancel the old one once its final bill is settled.
- Your old council issues a final bill for the days you were responsible. If you'd paid ahead by Direct Debit, you may be due a refund of the overpaid days — they'll usually return it to the account you paid from.
- Your new council issues a fresh bill, normally spread over the instalments left in the financial year. That can make your monthly payments higher than a full 10- or 12-month spread, simply because there are fewer months left to spread it across.
Moving within the same council vs a different one
It matters more than people expect, because council tax rates are set locally:
- Same council area: one online form, your account transfers, and your bill changes only if the new property sits in a different band.
- Different council: two separate notifications — and the same band can cost a different amount, because each council sets its own rate. Moving a few miles into a neighbouring borough can change your bill even for an identical-value home.
Bands: what you'll actually pay at the new place
Every home is in a council tax band (A to H in England, based on its value on 1 April 1991). The band sets your share; the council sets the rate. So your bill is a combination of the property's band and the local council's rate.
You can check any property's band for free on the Valuation Office Agency's service at GOV.UK before you commit to a move — a useful way to avoid a nasty surprise on the first bill at a higher-band home.
Quick check before you move
Search the new postcode on the GOV.UK "Check your Council Tax band" service, then look up that band's rate on the new council's website. Two minutes now saves a surprise later.
Got your move date? Get a fixed price in under a minute.
Movesmith gives you a fixed price before you book, with a verified local operator on the day — no estimates that change later.
Get a fixed-price quote