Check if you’re owed a cut of £140m council tax credit – and more ways to slash bill | Personal Finance | Finance

More than £140 million in forgotten cash is sitting in council coffers across England, Scotland and Wales, and a portion of it could belong to you. The money, which is credit built on closed council tax accounts, was last estimated to be owed to around 800,000 households, according to an FOI request from Money Saving Expert (MSE). Average refunds pay out around £100 per household, which could make for a nice little windfall over the remaining summer months if you do find you’re owed.

Experts at MSE said the most common reason councils are still holding on to the cash is people moving homes. Because council tax is usually paid in advance – often spread over 10 monthly instalments – moving out mid-month or mid-year can leave your old account in credit. If you didn’t pay by direct debit, or if you moved into a different local authority area without forwarding your address, your old council will have had no automated way to send your money back.

The account will have just been marked as “in credit”… and then swiftly forgotten about. You could also be owed cash if you forgot to cancel a standing order after moving, or if your previous home was retrospectively placed into a lower tax band after you left. You’re most likely owed if any of these moves were made after 1993.

If you think you fit the criteria, find out if you’re owed by checking if your council has a ‘council tax refund claims form’ by giving that a quick Google. If it doesn’t, phone or email the council instead.

There are a few more tips and tricks to legally reduce your council tax bill if you’re eligible. It’ll pay to know, as a staggering £3.3 billion worth of this kind of support went unclaimed last year. Because that’s the thing – you have to claim it; this support is not automatic.

If you live alone, you get a 25% single person discount. If others live with you but are “disregarded” for council tax (like full-time students, live-in carers, under 18s, or those with severe mental impairment), you may still get a 25% discount. If everyone is disregarded, the discount increases to 50%, and in some cases, the property may be exempt.

Homes adapted for someone with a physical disability may also qualify for a reduction. And if you’re on a low income or certain benefits, such as Pension Credit, the Council Tax Reduction scheme run by your local council could reduce your bill further or even cover it entirely. Check your local council’s website or call them to see what help you can get.

Kids up to age 12 can eat free at Prezzo this month if dining in, provided an adult main is purchased from the à la carte menu. Register an account with Prezzon online and show the discount code to the staff. One ‘free’ kids’ meal per adult main.

If you qualify for the Warm Home Discount, make sure you don’t miss a vital deadline this month. The discount, from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), is worth £150 and is applied directly to your energy bill in winter. You could be eligible if you receive certain means-tested benefits, like Universal Credit, Pension Credit, or Housing Benefit and this year, six million households are expected to receive it. To get it, though, your name must be on the electricity bill by Sunday, August 23.

If your name isn’t on the account for any reason, such as a house move or you’ve split up with a partner, energy suppliers won’t be able to match your details. The same goes for pre-payment key or card users – if the registered account isn’t in your name by August 23, you’ll miss out. And with energy bills forecast to get more pricier from October, with current predictions placing them around 2% to 7% higher than now, you won’t want to skip that saving.

If you do anything today, take two minutes to check your energy account. Log in online or check your paper bills. Make sure at least one person in the household who receives a qualifying benefit is explicitly listed as the account holder. If you find that the wrong person is named, contact your supplier to update the account before the August 23 deadline. And do spread the word, ask friends and relatives if they qualify, and check they’re named too. Many eligible people miss out because of this simple slip-up – don’t let it be you.