Another tax question. Am I still considered a full-time student?

A question about Council Tax?

• I've been living at a address for around 9months, the council tax was in someone else's name and they are about to move out, I now have a full-time student moving in and she is willing to put her name to for the council tax so we can avoid paying. Generally there will be 5 people living in the house, who all work full-time, as much as I would LOVE to pay the council tax, I would also rather not get robbed by paying all the tax because the rest have agreed for her to do this. Even if I did agree, and we were exempt from council tax, how would they find out? as i think i am still registered to my mothers home, inland revenue has my old address aswell, only think they have on me at this address is my bank details and 1 monthly bill d/d, Even after their investigations and they considered this fraud or however you put it.. (she has mentioned that she had been doing this for 3years at her old address, where there were 8 full-time workers and her as the only full-time student) would it be me who suffers the consequences or the person with the name down on the house? because I have a feeling everyone par me will be refusing to pay the tax if they can avoid it, and if that was so and I did put my name down, will i have to pay the full-amount by myself? and if the rest of us were caught by the authorities, would i be in the all-clear? thank you for your time. -I

• Answer:

  Firstly, a lot depends who owns and who rents the property. If its classed as ‘Multi Occupancy’ - if you each rent separately from the owner/landlord for example - then the landlord is liable to pay. If its a 'joint tenancy' then each joint tenant is liable unless they are an exempt, a student for example. It may be different if the owner also lives there. Every liable person in a property is jointly and severally liable - it means that any of you can be made to pay it all - you are all individually liable for the whole amount due. Lying and giving just one name to the council does not alter this fact. You are all individually responsible for informing the council of the true circumstances. You say that you don’t want to 'get robbed' but really it is you who is trying to rob the honest decent taxpayer by lying, or concealing the truth, so as not to have to pay what you owe. Like any thief, you may not get caught - but you will have to take the consequences if and when you are.