In England thirty households tried to get their council tax to be reduced. But instead of reduction it was hiked.
If you think your property is in the wrong council tax band, you can apply to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) for a review.
Usually, this results in one of two possibilities: No change, or the VOA agrees and downgrades your house, thereby reducing the council tax bill.
For example, if you were able to get your house downgraded from Band E to Band D that would often save you around £350 this year depending on where you live.
But there is a third possibility: that the VOA can actually rule you are paying too little and INCREASE your bill even more.
This happened to 30 households around England last year.
The fact that it is relatively rare means it’s hard to establish exactly who they were, but people in Birmingham, Manchester, Leicester, Nottingham and Lambeth found out this unfortunate result.
On the other hand, 10,930 households around the country were celebrating getting money off their bills.
There were 51,840 challenges and other results in total, which made a success rate for council taxpayers of 21%.
But this is far from the only way to pay less council tax, here are three more that definitely won't see your bill rise:
1. Check the other exemptions and discounts
You could receive 25% off your bill if you live on your own or no one else in your house counts as an adult. ‘Non-adults’ include anyone under 18, students, some apprentices, live-in carers and student nurses. You can find the full list here.
2. Find a smart way to pay
Many councils are encouraging you to pay by direct debit. You might be able to receive a discount for doing this, or even a prize. Paying by direct debit is simple - your bank will do it for you. And don't worry if you don't have a bank account, new rules mean that everyone is entitled to a fully free one .
At the same time, if you are near your overdraft limit, a surprise direct debit could lead to bank fines. If this is the case, you may want to seek advice about managing your budget . Remember, if you don’t pay council tax you may be fined and even sent to jail.
3. Ask about the hardship fund
If you’re really struggling, there may be help. One in two councils have set aside money to help those hit by the drop in council tax support. In 2013-14, the hardship funds ranged from £5,000 to £1million. In most cases, a council can award it to anyone it feels deserves it.
You can find your local council's contact details here to check if they have a hardship fund in place.
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