Council tax is rising from today - so it is worth checking if you are entitled to any help with paying your bill.
Last year, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced that councils in England will be able to increase their council tax by 5% without a referendum and a large number are taking advantage of the new rules.
Council tax is a compulsory charge on properties, and every home is graded into different council tax bands.
This banding determines how much council tax you pay.
It's calculated based on the value of your property at a specific point in time and they are valued differently in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Properties in England and Scotland are split into eight different bands ranging from A-H, with homes in Wales banded from A-I.
The cheapest banding is band A and the most expensive is band H, with based on their value in 1991 in England and Scotland.
Properties in Wales were revalued in 2003 and the council tax bands are dependent on values from this year.
Northern Ireland uses a completely different system to council tax.
As council tax is a compulsory payment, you can't change your plan or reduce your usage like other bills.
There are ways that you can cut the bill though.
Challenging your council tax band
If you think you are in the wrong council tax band then you can challenge it - this will lower your bills going forward and you may be entitled to thousands back in overpayments.
This mainly applies to homes in England and Scotland, as these are more likely to be placed in the wrong banding compared to properties in Wales.
If you are successful, then alongside lowering your bills you may also be owed a refund on the amount you have overpaid.
If you can't see the poll, click here
To challenge your council tax banding, then you will need to put your case to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA).
Before putting your case forward you will need to do your research.
Your first step should be to check with your neighbours to see what band they are placed in, you can either pop around and ask or you could check online for free.
You will need to make sure you check properties which are of similar size and value.
The next step is to work out what your home was worth in 1991 when the council tax system was first introduced and the bands decided.
The simplest way you can do this is to use websites such as Rightmove, which often records historic sale prices from 1995.
Next, you should then check which council tax band your property should have been put in during 1991 and again, this can be done online.
If your property seems to be in a higher property band, then you may have a case to get it rebanded.
Council tax discounts
If you are struggling to pay your council tax, it may be worth checking if you're entitled to any help paying your council tax bill.
Not all councils will offer the same support - you can find out exactly what help your local authority can provide by visiting its website.
You may be able to cut your council tax bill by up to 100% by applying for one of several discounts.
As an example, single people can get 25% off through the single person discount or if your household consists entirely of students then you do not need to pay council tax at all.
If you or someone you live with is disabled then you may be able to claim a reduction as the council will charge you the rate for the next lowest council tax band instead.
To get this, however, your property must have been adapted to meet the needs of the disabled person.
If you are living alone, and are classed as having a "severe mental impairment" (SMI) then you could have your council tax bill wiped by 100%.
You may also be able to claim help through a Council Tax Reduction scheme, sometimes called Council Tax Support, if you're on a low income or on certain benefits.
Some areas can offer a full 100% discount on your council tax while others it's a lot less.
The amount you could get off depends on factors such as your household income, if you claim benefits, the number of children you have, and your residency status.
You may also be eligible to claim a discount called a "second adult rebate" which is when an adult you live with has a low income or is getting certain benefits.
If every resident of a household is classed as “disregarded” then that household can receive a 50% reduction on their council tax bill.
“Disregarded people” are those who are not counted by the local authority when calculating council tax for a household.
A full list of who is considered "disregarded" can be found on GOV.UK.
