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Catherine Addison-Swan

Martin Lewis urges households to check Council Tax bills with many due 'thousands'

Martin Lewis Council Tax

Martin Lewis has issued important advice to households on Council Tax, warning that many could currently be losing out on "substantial" savings.

The MoneySavingExpert founder took to Twitter on Tuesday to tell his followers that hundreds of thousands of them may be missing out on a discount, and that some people could even be due money back which could be a huge help amid the cost of living crisis. In a video explaining who is eligible for a discount, Martin said: "Up to 400,000 people, especially in England Scotland, are in the wrong Council Tax band - many of them in too high a band - and you may be able to get your band lowered and a backdated pay-out."

One fan thanked Martin for sharing the guidance, telling him: "Realised a week ago I hadn't been receiving discount from when I moved in July, nearly £400 rebate from last year, and £547 reduction this year... always worth checking."

Someone else wrote: "I checked a few months ago on the off chance I wasn't classed properly and I got all my overpaid money back. A big help, especially in these times."

Council Tax in England is based on the value of your property as of April 1, 1991, with price bands ranging from A (up to £40,000) to H (more than 320,000), as well as who is living at the property. If there are two or more "qualifying adults" in the household, no discount applies - but if this doesn't sound like your situation, you may be entitled to money off your bill.

Certain people are not classed as a "qualifying adult" when it comes to paying Council Tax, meaning they are "disregarded" when it comes to calculating how much is due, the MoneySavingExpert website explains. This includes:

Anyone under 18
Full-time students - your course must last at least a year and involve at least 21 study hours per week. Certain apprenticeship schemes also count, and full-time student nurses can also normally claim the discount
Adults considered to be "severely mentally impaired" (SMI) - this can include people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, people who have had a severe stroke, or people with profound learning difficulties
Live-in carers - this means you look after someone who isn't your partner, spouse or child under 18 for an average of at least 35 hours per week. A live-in carer does not need to be receiving carer's allowance to qualify
Ukrainian refugees

If there is only one qualifying adult in a household, a single person discount will apply - amounting to 25% off your Council Tax bill. And if there are no qualifying adults living at the property, you will receive a discount of either 50% or 100% depending on your circumstances.

For example, a household with an SMI adult and a live-in carer would receive a 50% reduction on their council tax bill. An SMI adult living alone or with only under-18s would receive a 100% discount, as would a household containing only SMI adults or a household of all students, including students living alone.

In addition, you may also qualify for a discount on your Council Tax if you are on a low income or if you claim certain benefits, but the rules on this vary depending on your local authority. If you or your partner are receiving Pension Credit, your household may also be eligible for a reduction on your bill - of up to 100% if you receive the 'guaranteed' part of the benefit - and you may also be able to drop a band if you can prove that your home has been adapted for a disabled person.

If you think that you may qualify for a Council Tax discount that you're not currently getting, you will need to apply to get it as it won't happen automatically. You can visit your local council's website or put your postcode into the the gov.uk site to get started.

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