Over 2 million households are not receiving tax benefits: how to claim thousands.

According to The Sun: According to data, over two million households in the UK are not receiving discounts on council tax, which can amount to £2,280 per year.

A new study by Policy in Practice found that 2.57 million households unfortunately do not benefit from the average support of £1,286 on Council Tax.

The amount of support may be even higher for certain categories, such as pensioners, people with disabilities, and caregivers.

According to the Policy in Practice report, unclaimed support for council tax has reached an impressive £3.3 billion.

The number of households not applying is increasing, particularly by 14% in a year.

What is lacking

The Council Tax support scheme allows to reduce the monthly council tax payment. Applications can be made to your local council, and the available help depends on your place of residence.

To find out the amount you are entitled to, visit the GOV.UK website and enter your postcode.

Those who qualify can receive up to 100% off their bill. The average council tax bill for a Band D property is £2,280.

Many local councils offer smaller discounts, which can provide significant support.

Eligible discounts may also be available for individuals living with those who have serious mental disorders.

Discounts are also available for military widows, veterans, and single mothers.

Situation of unclaimed benefits

In Wales and Scotland, schemes also exist that offer up to 100% discounts for those who qualify.

Recent data shows that unclaimed benefits have reached a record level – from £19 billion in 2023 to £23 billion in 2024.

This means that the average household could receive an additional £3,203 per year if they utilized all available benefits.

Despite efforts to increase the number of Pension Credit applications, last year £1.6 billion remained unclaimed.

Thus, 761,000 pensioners could have been receiving £2,121 per year.

Meanwhile, support for caregivers is also significantly underclaimed, impacting 553,000 households that lose £4,252 per year.

In total, £2.3 billion went unclaimed last year.

Families are also losing £1.4 billion in child support, with 742,000 households eligible for an average of £1,998 annually.

Everything you need to know about Universal Credit

• What is Universal Credit? Everything you need to know, including how to apply.
• Universal Credit Calculator: How much can I get and how to apply?
• Log into Universal Credit: How to log into your online account?
• How much can I earn before my Universal Credit is reduced and will I receive a work allowance?
• What is Advance Payment of Universal Credit? How to apply and pay it back.
• Do Universal Credit payments increase and by how much more will I get?
• How to apply for Universal Credit if you are self-employed?
• How many hours can I work on Universal Credit, and will my payment be reduced?
• What is Universal Credit Budget Advance and how much can I get?
• What is the Housing Element of Universal Credit and how much of your rent does it cover?

The issue of unclaimed council tax support benefits is concerning. The lack of legally entitled discounts deprives millions of households of significant financial support. This issue poses new serious challenges for urban and rural councils tasked with finding ways to raise awareness of available programs.

The prospects for further growth in the number of unclaimed benefits point to the need for active measures to reduce this statistic and support the financial stability of vulnerable population groups.