Smudge Edge

WARNING! Carers, don't trust your council's info on Carer's Council Tax Discount, more than 1 in 5 councils' online info (Eng & Wal) is wrong. They miss crucial extra eligibility criteria which makes many who are eligible for a 25% or 50% discount think they aren't. This is likely crapness not conspiracy. Staggeringly, my guess is the cause is that most haven't updated their sites since the rules changed in 2013! And gov uk does not have the full info either, making it worse. Carers Council Tax Discount is for the up to 5m people who care, unpaid, over 35hours a week for someone (not spouse / child under 18) who is eligible. Oft its adult children caring for parents, parents for adult children, or siblings caring FULL STORY & LIST OF COUNCILS HERE: moneysavingexpert.com/news/2026/01/c… My official quote... "Unpaid carers can't trust councils' information about Carers' Council Tax discounts. All Carers who thought they weren't eligible after checking councils' websites should check again (use Carers UK's help pages). If you did miss out due to councils' poor info, ask for a backdated discount to the point of first eligibility, though different councils have different rules. "Thirty-five hours a week of unpaid caring is no small feat. This army of up to five million carers provides a silent and often un-thanked backbone that takes a burden off the NHS and care system – reducing the cost to the state. "While it's often done out of love, that doesn't mean it isn't hard. And while this discount isn't means-tested, many who are caring, unpaid, for at least 35 hours a week, are almost certainly under a great deal of financial stress. So, the idea that they're being misled about £100s a year in discounts from their own councils really sticks in the craw. "This is made worse by the fact the main Gov uk pages about Council Tax don't list the qualifying benefits for the discount – making it harder for taxpayers in England to work out whether they might be eligible. "We are writing to all the councils involved to ask them to urgently update their websites and to ensure their internal policies are compliant. I will also be reporting this information lapse to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. It should work with councils on a clear plan to guarantee that Council Tax information is clear, accurate and accessible.