This month sees the first time that any council tax rises will begin to bite as April is the first month of local authorities' new fiscal year – but if you find yourself struggling, a finance expert has some ways you might be able to cut the cost of your bill.
Money expert Lynn Beattie, who runs the Mrs Mummypenny finance blog, says with council tax you can choose to pay in 10 or 12-monthly instalments. She suggests the ten-month method: "It feels like I am saving money in those more challenging post-Christmas cost months with no payment."
Most people pay council tax for local services including refuse collection, police and fire services. It's a "priority bill" that must be paid – failure to pay quickly escalates into bailiffs at the door, fines and even imprisonment. "Most of us will have seen an increase to this essential bill," says Lynn.
