With bills shooting up last month, plenty of folks are scrambling to find ways to save a few quid. The good news? You might be eligible for discounts, a break from payments, or you might even be able to dodge paying council tax in Glasgow entirely, and be granted an exemption.
The 2026/2027 council tax hikes
To keep local services running, Glasgow City Council bumped up Council Tax by 5.9% for the 2026/27 period. On top of that, Scottish Water hiked its water and waste charges by 8.7%, which shows up on the same bill.
If you’re struggling to keep up, the council says you should get in touch via their Council Tax Contact form ASAP.
Glasgow City Council said: “The sooner you contact us, the quicker we can help you with your Council Tax bill. If we have passed your arrears to a Debt Collection agency, please contact them directly if you have any queries.”
Who can get a discount?
The council has a list of 18 specific scenarios where they might give you a financial break. Here are the most common ways to pay less (or nothing at all):
Living Alone (Single Person Discount)
Empty Homes (Unoccupied and Unfurnished)
Renovations (Major Repair or Structural Alteration)
Students (Exemption or Discount)
Under 18s (All Occupiers Under 18)
Death of an Owner (Estate of Deceased Person)
Disability (Disabled Person’s Reduction)
Legal Bans (Prohibited from Occupation)
Mental Health (Severely Mentally Impaired)
Hospital Stays (Long Term Hospitalisation)
Ukraine Crisis (Persons from Ukraine)
Resettlement (Persons resident under a resettlement scheme)
Carers/Cared For (People Who Provide Care or Are Cared For)
Apprentices (Apprentice Discount)
Care Leavers (Young People Leaving Care)
Student Housing (Property Previously Occupied by Students)
Live-in Carers (Resident Carer Discount)
Agriculture (Land used for agricultural or pastoral purposes)
Glasgow City Council commented: “If your property is larger because of the needs of a disabled person, the discount allows your Council Tax bill to be reduced to take account of those needs.”
The full list of Glasgow Council Tax exemptions
- Students (Exemption or discount depending on the rest of the household)
- Personal Status: People in prison, members of religious communities, or youth trainees.
- Education/Age: School leavers (18-20) heading to uni, or people for whom Child Benefit is still being paid.
- Legal/Financial: Properties that are repossessed, part of a bankruptcy trust, or where living there is legally prohibited.
- Special Housing: Charity-run halls of residence, “trial flats” for the elderly/disabled, or homes marked for demolition.
- Military/Gov: Armed forces accommodation, visiting forces, or residents under resettlement schemes (including those from Ukraine).
- Religious/Other: Homes held for ministers of religion or properties last used by a charity.
- Difficult Layouts: Homes part of another house that are hard to rent out separately.
Basically, don’t just sit there and stress over the bill—there’s a decent chance you’re owed a discount you didn’t even know existed.
You can read more about council tax discounts and exemptions on the Glasgow City Council website.
