CLAIM YOUR COUNCIL TAX REBATE

FIRST PUBLISHED BY: THIS IS MONEY

PEOPLE ALL OVER BRITAIN ARE MISSING OUT ON HUNDREDS OF POUNDS A YEAR BY FAILING TO CLAIM COUNCIL TAX BENEFIT.

With the average unclaimed rebate running at around £430 a year, four out of every ten pensioners are paying much more Council Tax than necessary, says the Department for Work and Pensions. In some cases, people could reclaim 100 per cent of the their Council Tax. To encourage more people to claim, especially pensioners, the DWP has launched a widespread advertising campaign, which includes sending posters and leaflets to 20,000 organisations. 

The leaflets, entitled Cut your Council Tax – Find Out If You Should Be Paying Less, explain what the benefit is and how to claim it. Council Tax benefit is paid as a rebate on your Council Tax bill whether you rent or own your home, or live rent-free. It does not matter if you already get a discount on your Council Tax, for example if you live alone. You do not have to be a pensioner to be eligible.

The benefit is administered by local authorities on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions, and claim forms are available from local councils. If you claim pension credit, income support or jobseeker's allowance you will also receive a form to claim Council Tax benefit.  This should be returned to your local council. Alternatively, pensioners who wish to apply are asked to call the pension credit application line on 0800 99 1234

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Unless you are aged 60 or over and receive the guarantee credit of Pension Credit, savings of more than £16,000 usually mean you cannot get Council Tax benefit. Savings over £3,000 or £6,000 if you or your partner are aged 60 or over will affect how much benefit you will receive. Council Tax benefit minister Chris Pond says: 'Some pensioners may wrongly believe that they might not qualify for a Council Tax rebate, for example, because they live in a big house or own their home. If in doubt, there's no harm in checking.'

More information is available by logging on to www.dwp.gov.uk from where you can print out a form you can fill in with a pen.

READ WHAT: ERIC PICKLES ‘SECRETARY OF STATE’ SAYS ABOUT OVER-CHARGED COUNCIL TAX. 

ARE YOU PAYING TOO MUCH COUNCIL TAX - CHECK HERE?