A MOTHER has revealed that she was overpaying her council tax for five years and had no idea.
Luckily for Chelsie, a from the , she was able to get a and thousands of Brits could be missing out on the .
A single mother has revealed that after five years of overpaying on council tax, she discovered a little-known discountCredit: TikTok/@chichi.chelsie.mummos
Now, Chelsie pays just £55 a month and here’s how you potentially could tooCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
Eager to alert others to the reduction, the who often shares and content online, took to to explain her situation.
She said: “My council tax is so and I’m going to tell you why.”
The confirmed that for almost six years, she has been paying .
However, she explained: “Now there is actually something else that makes it and I spent all that time paying when I didn’t need to be doing so – so there is actually something for to claim to make their council tax more affordable and I didn’t know this and it took me that long.”
While Chelsie confirmed that she “doesn’t know all the stipulations” about the reduction, she acknowledged that she works less than 30 hours a week and pays every month.
She added: “What I can tell you is that I’m a who has two at and works part-time, so I pay £55 a month council tax which is reduced and that is not the single person occupancy, that is for people that are at a .”
On a mission to help others get the discount they may have been missing out on, the mother continued: “I’m telling you this because I’ve had quite a few single parents message me and say, ‘how is your council tax so cheap?’ and that is why – it is because I am on a low income, I’m a single parent and I have two dependants.”
Chelsie recognised that prior to this, she had “no idea” it was possible to get this reduction.
She shared: “All I did was call up my local , explain the situation, and they said, ‘oh yeah, we actually offer something else to people on a low income, let’s apply you for it,’ and the next month, my payment had been reduced.”
Chelsie confirmed that she “didn’t get back paid” for overpaying for the last five years, but since getting the reduction, it has helped her with her “ massively.”
Chelsie’s clip, which was posted under the username @ chichi.chelsie.mummos , has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 120,100 views.
Many viewers were stunned to hear about the reduction and raced to the comments to express this.
What council tax support is available?
THERE are several ways you can get discounts and reductions on your council tax bill.
In some cases, you can even get the bill completely wiped with a council tax reduction.
Factors such as your household income, whether you have children, and if you receive any , will influence what you get.
To apply, visit https://www.gov.uk/apply-council-tax-reduction .
You’ll need your National number, bank statements, a recent payslip or letter from the Jobcentre, and a passport or licence when filling out the details.
Below, we reveal all the ways you can get discounts or a reduction on your bill:
Single person discount
If you live on your own, you can get 25% off your .
This also applies if there is one adult and one student living together in a property, or if there is one adult and one person classed as severely mentally impaired in the home.
If you live with someone who doesn’t have to pay council tax, such as a carer or someone who is severely mentally impaired, you could get a larger reduction too, of up to 50%.
And, if you live in an all-student household, you could get a 100% discount.
Retirees
may also find themselves eligible for a reduction.
If you receive the Guarantee Credit element of , you could get a 100% discount.
If not, you could still get help if you have a low income and less than £16,000 in savings.
And a pensioner who lives alone will be entitled to a 25% discount too.
Low-income households
If you are on a , you could be eligible for a reduction on your council tax.
Whether you are eligible will vary depending on where you live.
You could also get a deferral if you’re struggling to pay your bill, or you can speak to your council about setting up a payment plan to manage the cost.
But one thing to remember is if you are struggling you should contact your council as early as you can.
One person said: “I get this too and only just found out after two years.”
Another added: “Oh wow I’m paying £168 a month, will have to enquire. Thanks.”
I’ve just got my reduction approved, I was blown away by how much it is
TikTok user
A third commented: “This happened to me last year after three years of over paying and not realising there was a discount for us folk!!”
A fourth beamed: “So helpful, thank you.”
Meanwhile, someone else chimed in: “I’ve just got my reduction approved, I was blown away by how much it is.”
At the same time, another wrote: “I did the same – from £153 to £54 a month, crazyyyy.”
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Whilst one mother questioned: “What was it they applied for you? I’m in the same situation but have 3 dependents.”
To this, Chelsie wrote back and explained: “It is just called .
“It’s different for each but 100% contact them and see how they can help.”
If you think you’re entitled to a low-income council tax reduction, contact your local council, as eligibility and the amount of the reduction will depend on your income and local rules.
