Martin Lewis warns people on Universal Credit or Pension Credit not to believe myth

Martin Lewis warns people on Universal Credit or Pension Credit not to believe myth

by · Birmingham Live

Martin Lewis has urged state pensioners to apply for council tax reductions - because it is NOT automatic. The Money Saving Expert spoke out on his ITV show last week, in a pre Christmas special aimed at sharing his expertise and guidance.

“People think if they’re on Universal Credit or Pension Credit they’ll get everything that’s coming to them," the MSE founder explained, before going on to warn: “You don’t. Council tax benefits, even if you’re getting Universal Credit, you MUST apply separately to your council to get it.

“And that is why so many are missing out. So if you are on a lower income, look at your council’s policy and see if you can apply to get this money, it’s crucially important.” You might be able to pay less council tax or not pay it at all depending on your circumstances, Citizens Advice said.

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You might be able to get discounts - for example, for a single person or an empty property, Council Tax Reduction (CTR) if you have low income or a different reduction if you can’t get much CTR. You might get a discount automatically on your council tax bill. If you're not sure whether you're already getting a discount, check your bill or contact the council.

If you're not getting a discount, you might still be entitled to one. It depends who lives in the property. If you're the only adult in your home, you’ll get a 25% discount on your council tax bill. When working out how many people live in a property, some people aren’t counted - they’re called ‘disregarded people’.

If everyone who lives in the property is disregarded there’s still a council tax bill, but it will have a 50% discount. If everyone in your home is a student or severely mentally impaired, you won't pay any council tax. If you're entitled to a discount because someone has moved out, tell the council. You're entitled to the discount from when the person moved out, even if you told the council later.