Council tax

Households should beware cold callers asking for their bank account details in order to seemingly pay them the Government's £150 council tax rebate, as it's likely to be a scam. MoneySavingExpert.com has seen a number of reports from councils urging residents to beware of fraudsters, while officials have also cautioned households to watch out.

People should brace for the prospect that their £150 council tax rebate might not come in April, with reports of one council informing thousands of residents that a "software issue" is holding the payments up. But make sure you set up a direct debit in the meantime to prevent further delays.

About 20 million households in England – those with homes in council tax bands A-D – will get a £150 rebate in April, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced. The move is designed to help support households as energy bills are set to rocket by a massive £693 a year for millions on the back of a new price cap announcement. Similar support schemes have also been announced in Scotland and Wales.

Council tax bills are set to rise for millions of households from 1 April, with the majority seeing total increases of around 3%. We've tips on how to reduce your bill below and a list of how much local councils will charge across England, Scotland and Wales.

Action is needed from the Government and local councils to help support millions of people in council tax arrears. Charity the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI), which was set-up by MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, has issued the calls after research revealed that 2.8 million people with mental health issues fell into council tax debt during the pandemic. 

Almost 90% of local authorities in England which provide care services are looking to raise council tax this year by the maximum permitted amount of 4%, according to new analysis.

Some local authorities in England will be able to raise council tax by up to 4% in April 2020.

A new wave of price hikes have hit, from council tax and prescriptions to energy and broadband - but there are still plenty of ways to cut these bills. 

The Welsh Government has become the first in Great Britain to launch a website and leaflet to help 'severely mentally impaired' residents access a council tax discount worth almost £400/year on average – but MSE founder Martin Lewis says others must follow suit.

The average band D council tax bill in England will rise by £80 this year, the Government has announced.