Data gathered by MoneySavingExpert.com under the Freedom of Information Act found that £141 million is owed to council tax payers across 349 local authority areas over England, Scotland and Wales.
Am I Eligible for Reduced Council Tax?
First things first, you might be eligible to pay a discounted rate of council tax, so this is worth checking on your local council’s website. For Blackpool, click here.
You may be eligible for a reduction in your council tax if:
- You are on a low income
- You are full-time student or live with a full-time student
- You do not live with any other adults
- You have a disability or are caring for someone with a disability
- You are an apprentice
- The property is empty
- You claim benefits
The reduction you get to your council tax bill will depend on which area you live in, what your circumstances are, what your household income is (including savings, pensions and partner’s income), whether you live with children and whether you live with other adults.
Banding
One reason why you may have been charged too much council tax is due to your home being in the wrong band. If so, Red Star Education has a handy blog which discusses incorrect council tax banding, contesting your council tax band, changes that might affect your property, and removing your property from the council tax list.
When it comes to rebanding, you may end up getting a retrospective discount. For example, if you move homes and the person who moves into your old address successfully applies to get the council tax band lowered, a credit could be applied to your closed account as you were overpaying when you lived there. You can check the council tax band of a home here.
Moving Home
Another reason why you may end up overpaying your council is if you have paid it in advance but then move out of the property. For example, you might pay it in instalments over a 10 month period, but end up moving out before the year is up.
Failing to notify your council about moving out of a property could mean that you end up paying a council tax bill when you no longer live there. When you move homes, you should contact your local council to let them know about your change of address and the date of you moving out. They will then send you a final bill for the time that you lived at the old address, and if you overpaid, you may be eligible for a refund.
Your Discount Was Not Applied
When you receive your council tax bill, you should check that any discounts you are eligible for and have informed your council about have been applied.
For example, if you are claiming a discount due to being a full-time student, your council may require that you send proof of your student status to them each tax year. Failing to do so may result in an overpayment, meaning your council will then need to recalculate what you owe in the coming months.
If you think you have paid too much council tax or believe there is something wrong with your bill, and you have not received an automatic refund, contact your local council to get things sorted. You can find your local council here.