Martin Lewis has issued a warning, stating that over 800,000 individuals could be missing out on a refund of council tax.
Affecting households in England, Scotland and Wales the founder of MoneySavingExpert highlighted that there is a total of £141 million that is potentially going unclaimed.
There a few different reasons why you can overpay council tax. In his recent financial investigation he put focus on the reason that if you move house and you’ve started paying council tax to a different local authority you could overpay.
Lewis emphasised that a significant number of people are unaware that they may be entitled to a council tax rebate for this reason.
Who is eligible for the council tax rebate?
You could be eligible for a council tax rebate if you relocate to a different local authority after already making advance payments for some or all of your council tax on your previous property.
This can be easily done especially if you didn’t cancelled your direct debit and you’ve kept making payments to your last local authority.
A refund of council tax already paid can also be due if you vacate a property and the new owner successfully petitions to reduce the council tax band.
This can indicate you have overpaid previously and are entitled to a reimbursement of some the council tax you paid in the past.
Lewis was also keen to highlight that households that are eligible for universal credit or pension credit could potentially be missing out on council tax discounts worth hundreds of pounds in some cases.
How to claim a council tax rebate
To claim a council tax rebate because you have moved from one local authority to another you will need to contact your previous council and either complete their online claim form (if they have one).
You can also call or email your old councils council tax department for further support.
