Households are being urged to check now if they are one of the 862,027 due a refund of overpaid council tax. An investigation by the UK’s biggest consumer website, MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE), reveals those in England, Scotland and Wales could claim a total of £150.2 million back – worth an average £174.
There are a number of reasons why households may be able to get cash refunds from their council but the key one is where the householder has moved out of the area, but they had already paid the bill upfront. In most cases council tax is paid in advance (including for those who pay monthly) and, if someone fails to close their account or doesn’t pay by direct debit, the council may struggle to refund automatically if they’ve moved. This means the account will likely be closed in credit.
MSE is today prompting consumers that the easiest way to avoid being due overpaid council tax is to set up a direct debit with their local authority, so they can automatically process any refunds. Those who think they might be able to claim cash back can call, email or live chat their council – each council will have its own process for reclaiming.
