Martin Lewis: How to cut council tax bills and get a rebate
On X, he said: "Moving or just moved house? One of the most important things you should do is check whether you're in the right council tax band. You only have six months to make a formal challenge, after that its much trickier.
"(Renters can do this too, though courtesy would indicate you notify the landlord)."
On his Money Saving Expert website, he posted: "Hundreds of thousands of homes across England and Scotland are thought to be in the wrong Council Tax band. This means it's important to check your property's in the right band – something our tried-and-tested system can help you do. Some homeowners and renters have unknowingly been overpaying Council Tax for many years, even decades, because their bands are too high, so payouts worth £1,000s are commonplace."
Moving or just moved house? One of the most important things you should do is check whether you're in the right council tax band. You only have six months to make a formal challenge, after that its much trickier. Full help here... https://t.co/qgcWL9PIlJ
(Renters can do this…
He then talks readers through the whole process of how to check and challenge their council tax bands, with the different English and Scottish rules.
Millions of households have seen a jump in their annual council tax bills from April 1 with most local authorities in England increasing a typical band D bill by 5% – an increase of £109 to £2,280 from the 2024-25 figure of £2,171 – although some local councils have permission to impose hikes of up to 10%.
Bills in Wales rose by around 4.5% to 9.5% and in Scotland the jump was least 8% – though this is the first increase in two years following a freeze in 2024-25.
Find out the council tax band for a home in England or Wales by looking up its address or postcode on the GOV.UK site.
For homes in Scotland, search on the Scottish Assessors website.
You can also use this service to challenge your council tax band if you think it's wrong. You'll need to provide evidence for your challenge.
The amount of council tax you pay is set by the value of your home, with the average value home being placed in Band D.
If you think your property is in the wrong band it might be worth requesting a revaluation, however, be aware there is a risk it could be placed into a higher band rather than a lower one.
It is also worth speaking to the council about what support is available for those who are struggling or on lower incomes.
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See below the full list of medical conditions exempt from paying council tax.
The following conditions are classed as Severe Mental Impairments:
Although the above is a list of conditions that are classed as part of SMI, a person will need a doctor's diagnosis to be able to apply for the council tax discount.
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