Five ways to cut your council tax bill as households hit with rise of up to £1,576.57 per year

THOUSANDS will be looking for ways to reduce their council tax bill this month as the fee will to rise by 5% today, April 1.

Council tax isan annual fee you pay to your local council. The cost is set by your council and goes towards funding local services.

The average Band Dcouncil taxbill has risen by £109 to £2,280 this April.

But how much you pay can depend on where you live.

For example, Somerset is raising bills by 7.49%, while Bradford has received permission for an increase of 9.99%.

For Bradford residents – living in a Band A property which is valued up to £40,000 – it marks an increase of £113.34 annually.

Meanwhile, outside of England, many areas will see the figure hiked by up to 15%.

Last month councillors in Falkirk, Scotland approved the largest council tax increase in the UK.

The rise means that the average Band D household in the area, including parish charges, will see their annual bill increase from £1,363.82 to £1,576.57 – a 15.6% hike, amounting to an additional £212.75.

With this in mind it is worth being aware of all the council tax support available to you

COUNCIL TAX REDUCTION

If you are on a low income or receiving benefits, you could be eligible for a reduction on your council tax.

Whether you are eligible will vary depending on where you live.

Also it does not matter whether you own your home or rent, anyone who is struggling financially can apply.

You need to apply for a reduction via your local councils website.

To make a claim, will need to provide the council with information on your earnings and what pensions, benefits, allowances and tax credits you receive.

To find where your local council is visit www.gov.uk/apply-council-tax-reduction.

In some instances your bill could be reduced by 100%, meaning you don’t have to pay anything.

You could also get a deferral if you're struggling to pay your bill, or you can speak to your council about setting up a payment plan to manage the cost.

DISCOUNT FOR PENSIONERS

Pensioners may also find themselves eligible for a council tax reduction.

If you receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, you could get a 100% discount.

If not, you could still get help if you have a low income and less than £16,000 in savings.

And a pensioner who lives alone will be entitled to a 25% discount too.

Again, to claim this, you will need to contact your local council.

GET A REDCUTION BASED ON WHO YOU ARE LIVING WITH

You could be eligible for a reduction based on who you are living with.

For example, if there are two adults within a household, then you must pay 100% of the tax.

But if it is just one adult, you are allowed to pay just 75%, which gives singletons a 25% reduction. If there are no adults in the house you do not have to pay any.

University goers also do not have pay council tax, but only if their home if fully occupied by students.

CHECK YOUR BAND

You may be able to get a refund if you have been in a higher band than you should have been.

The amount of council tax you pay is based on the value of the property you live in.

Each property is placed in one of eight bands and these show what a home might have sold for in April 1991.

It does not matter if your home was built recently, the band is based on an estimation of what its value would have been in 1991.

To fight your case you’ll need to provide evidence showing why you think your property is in the wrong band.

This could be details about properties that are similar to yours but in lower tax bands.

You will need to dispute the issue with the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), but if your claim is successful you would be owed a backdated payment from when you moved into the property.

If your account is in credit because of overpaying your Council Tax in the previous year, you can apply for a refund.

Some councils have online claims form which you can fill out or you can email or call the council and enquire what the process is.

To state your case, you will need to have a Council Tax reference number.

Over three million households are owed a combined total of £544million in council tax refunds.The average refund due is around £178, but some could be owed as much as £3,659.

CHECK IF YOUR OWED A REFUND

If your account is in credit because of overpaying your Council Tax in the previous year, you can apply for a refund.

Some councils have online claims form which you can fill out or you can email or call the council and enquire what the process is.

To state your case, you will need to have a Council Tax reference number.

Over three million households are owed a combined total of £544million in council tax refunds.

The average refund due is around £178, but some could be owed as much as £3,659.