Council Tax Bands In Edinburgh, Discounts & Exemptions
Council Tax Bands in Edinburgh are based on the open market value of the properties sold on or around 1 April 1991 and are agreed by the Lothian Valuation Joint Board.
Council tax is paid by tenants, and not by landlords, but landlords should be aware of the council tax band for their property so that they can advise potential tenants of additonal costs they will need to bear in mind when budgeting. Landlords are also liable for any council tax payable during a void period when the property is unoccupied. It is usually possible to apply for a discount in that situation. Read on for more information on discounts and exemptions.
As a tenant, council tax is often the last thing you consider when looking to move into a new property in Edinburgh. But it is important to ensure that you have registered correctly and that you remember to pay in a timely manner so that bills do not mount up or, worse still, you receive a Summary Warrant. Council tax charges can be split between your flatmates if living with others or paid solely by you if living independently – however, you may be entitled to a discount or exemption.
What Is Council Tax?
Council tax in Edinburgh is collected from residents of domestic properties by The City of Edinburgh Council. It is used to pay for the services in your residential area like exterior lighting, refuse collection, schools, leisure faciltiies and road maintenance. Your bill includes charges for sewerage and water supplied by Scottish Water.
How Much Do I Have To Pay?
The current Council Tax Bands in Edinburgh for 2025-26 are below:
| Band | Council Tax | Water | Sewerage | Total |
| A | £1,042.34 | £185.28 | £214.98 | £1,442.60 |
| B | £1,216.06 | £216.16 | £250.81 | £1,683.03 |
| C | £1,389.79 | £247.04 | £286.64 | £1,923.47 |
| D | £1,563.51 | £277.92 | £322.47 | £2,163.90 |
| E | £2,054.28 | £339.68 | £394.13 | £2,788.09 |
| F | £2,540.70 | £401.44 | £465.79 | £3,407.93 |
| G | £3,061.87 | £463.20 | £537.45 | £4,062.52 |
| H | £3,830.60 | £555.84 | £644.94 | £5,031.38 |
Edinburgh Council Tax Discounts & Exemptions
Some residents are entitled to discounts or even full exemptions from paying council tax. If you are not sure if any of these apply to you, please check with Edinburgh City Council.
Single Occupant Council Tax Discount
If you live alone, you are entitled to claim a 25% discount on your council tax band payment.
Student Council Tax Exemption
If you are a student on a full-time course, studying for 24 weeks in each academic year, you will qualify as a student. Also, if you are under 20 years old, studying a non-advanced course like Highers, A levels or Level 3 SVQ for at least 12 hours a week, you will also be exempt. Furthermore, if you are a language assistant helping to teach a foreign language in a school or educational establishment, you will also qualify for exemption as long as you are registered with the British Council.
If all the occupants of the property are students, there is 100% exemption, therefore nobody has to pay council tax. You can apply for discounts or exemptions online or email your student certificate to the council. Don't assume that you will be given an exemption automatically. It is up to you as a tenant to apply.
However,
If you plan on living with a professional flatmate, then there may be a 25% discount available if all but one of the occupants are students.
Paying Your Council Tax
We advise all tenants to pay their council tax by direct debit, so it is one less thing to worry about. The costs are split over ten or twelve monthly payments and collected on the 1st, 5th, 16th or last day of the month.
What Do I Need To Do Now?
You must notify the council when you move into a property or ask one of our friendly team to help you do so. We are here to help our landlords and our tenants to have a positive experience, so please ask us if you are unsure about how any of this works.