London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 24, 2025

Martin Lewis reveals how to claim thousands back from council tax

Martin Lewis reveals how to claim thousands back from council tax

Financial guru Martin Lewis has explained how hundreds of thousands of people could save huge sums on their council tax.

The Money Saving Expert founder says people who have be paying incorrect rates for a significant period of time could claim the money back.

Speaking on the Martin Lewis Money Show he set out seven steps to work out if you are paying too much, and reclaim what you are owed.

Check your council tax band – here’s how


Up to 400,000 households are overpaying in the wrong council tax band and may be owed repayments going as far back as 27 years.

Martin outlined two steps to reveal whether you are affected.

First of all, check what your neighbours are paying by visiting the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) in England or the Scottish Assessors Association (SAA) in Scotland.

If you are paying more than your neighbours, work out what your house was worth in 1991 with the help of online tools, such as this one from Nationwide.


If you are a single adult living alone, you should get a 25% discount


Once you know the house’s previous value, you can see what council tax band you should have been placed in.

You should only apply for a refund if both checks indicate you are in the wrong band.

On a street in Hull, one unidentified resident appealed as she was in band B and all her neighbours in similar properties were in band A.

But instead of her getting a council tax cut, all her neighbours are now facing larger bills as they were all put into a higher band.

This is why it is vital to also do the valuation check.

Lower occupancy discounts


If you are a single adult living alone, you should get a 25% discount on your council tax.

The full bill usually assumes at least two adults live in a property.

Discounts also apply to students, carers, people with health conditions and children.


Discounts also apply to students, carers, people with health conditions and children


Tell the council as soon as possible if your circumstances change through a housemate/lodger leaving, becoming a student, separation, divorce, or the death of a partner/spouse.

You can backdate lower occupancy claims too.

Benefit claimant discounts


People on certain benefits or a low income can receive discounts of up to 100%.

It does not matter if you own your own home or rent, or whether you are employed or not.

All can apply, but the sooner you apply the better as council tax reductions are not typically backdated.


People who have lost out due to the pandemic can also claim


The reduction comes on top of any benefits or universal credit you receive.

Your reduction depends on factors such as where you live, your income, the number of children you have and your residency status.

Some councils may let you backdate the reduction, but by how many months varies by council so you will need to check.

Severe mental impairment discounts


If you or someone you live with is medically certified as being ‘severely mentally impaired’ you could be eligible for a discount.

This is a medical diagnosis in itself, but the underlying cause could be a condition such as dementia (including Alzheimer’s) or severe learning difficulties.

There is a 25% discount if you live with someone with a severe mental impairment and no other adults, or only adults who are also disregarded for council tax purposes.

If you have a severe mental impairment and live alone you receive a 100% discount.

The claims are also backdated, meaning you could receive thousands.

Coronavirus help


Many councils are offering extra support such as payment holidays for residents who have lost out on income due to the pandemic.

Support is offered on a case-by-case basis, but most would offer payment holidays for those struggling with their 2020/21 council tax bill or give council tax reductions of up to 100% on bills for many people on benefits.

In England, you may also get £150 off your bill backed by a £500 million Covid-19 hardship fund.

Have you adapted your home?


If you have made changes to your home for a disabled resident, you could be eligible for a refund.

Instead of a discount, you may be able to get your council tax band lowered.

Are the council sitting on your cash?


Many people pay council tax a month or a year ahead, meaning if you move house, they keep it until you ask for it back.

If you have moved in the past few years, search for council tax refunds on your old council’s site.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Politic is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
×