Martin Lewis has issued a heads-up that could mean free cash for thousands of people across the UK — and many don’t even realize it. The Money Saving Expert has revealed that if you’ve moved house since 1993, you might be owed a refund on your council tax.
The 52-year-old said that around 800,000 households could be due money back, with figures showing that a staggering £141 million is sitting unclaimed across 349 council areas. Most of it’s down to overpayments that happened when people moved homes — often without even knowing they’d paid too much, reported the Daily Mail.
Council tax is based on the value of your home, and those values have changed loads over the years. When you move to a new property, especially in a different council area, your old account is usually closed. But if that account is left in credit — say, because you paid up to March but moved out in February — that extra money might never have made it back to you.
The Money Saving Expert website explained: “Essentially, a council tax account will be in credit if you’ve paid more than you owe at any point… When an account is closed while in credit, which can happen if you move to another area, for example, this can be an issue”, reported the Express.
In many cases, councils will automatically refund you when closing your account, but not all do. And if you forget to cancel your Direct Debit when moving, you could end up paying for a place you no longer live in.
MSE pointed out another catch: if you didn’t pay by Direct Debit, your chances of automatically getting a refund are even lower. “The vast majority of councils that do try to refund credit tell us they can’t if you paid by any method other than Direct Debit – for example, if you paid by cash, standing order or cheque.”
There’s also money to be claimed if your property’s council tax band was ever lowered, which sometimes happens after revaluation or appeals.
Martin’s advice? If you’ve moved home any time in the last three decades, it’s worth checking with your old council to see if they owe you anything. It might only take a quick phone call, and it could put hundreds of pounds back in your pocket.
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