Council tax refunds of £150 million owed as thousands of households urged to check bills

People across the UK are being urged to check whether they are entitled to a refund after paying too much council tax.

According to Martin Lewis’ website MoneySavingExpert , 826,000 households across England, Scotland and Wales are eligible for a refund. The money saving site has revealed that over £150 million could be claimed back in total across the UK, with almost £4.7 million of that in the North East.

Those who have recently moved house into a different area are particularly being encouraged to check if they are entitled to money back. The main reason for overpaid council tax is because bills are typically paid in advance - so when you move house into a new area your former council may close your account with credit.

READ MORE: Thousands of struggling households to get £200 directly into their bank account this week

A common mistake when moving house can be forgetting to cancel your old payments, particularly if your council tax bill is set up via a standing order. MoneySavingExpert recommends setting up a direct debit for your council tax bills to avoid the likelihood of this happening.

For those who suspect they may be due money back from overpaying on their council tax, Martin Lewis’ website has issued a guide on how to check this. You can search for your council’s contact details via the gov.uk website and get in touch via phone, email or live chat, after which you will likely be sent a form to complete.

According to research by MoneySaving Expert, at least 38,577 accounts in the North East are owed refunds on their council tax. The total amounts owed by councils in the region are as follows:

• Darlington Borough Council (2020): £240,126.55

• Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council (2021): £125,925.08

• Hartlepool Borough Council (2021): £487,335.74

• Middlesbrough Borough Council (2020): £1,496,765.36

• Newcastle upon Tyne City Council (2021): £800,000

• North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council (2021): £312,092.66

• Northumberland Council (2021): £598,553.54

• Redcar & Cleveland Council (2020): £121,506.51

• South Tyneside Council (2020): £177,749.00

• Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (2021): £266,800.97

• Sunderland City Council (2020): £23,564.48

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