Martin Lewis has called on unpaid carers to check their eligibility for a Council Tax discount after dozens of councils corrected misleading information on their websites. The founder of MoneySavingExpert.com said those previously deterred from claiming may now be entitled to a backdated discount worth hundreds of pounds a year.
The campaign followed a MoneySavingExpert investigation in January 2026 which found that one in five council websites in England and Wales displayed incorrect qualifying criteria for the live-in Carer Council Tax discount. The errors, which may have existed since eligibility was extended in 2013, potentially deterred up to five million unpaid carers from claiming, with typical losses of between £500 and £1,000 each year.
All 69 councils identified in the investigation have now significantly improved their online information, MoneySavingExpert confirmed. The UK Government also issued a letter to English councils in February 2026, encouraging them to prioritise accurate Council Tax support information.
Martin Lewis said: "Carers are some of society’s most unsung heroes. The fact our investigation found dozens of councils were doing it, and most likely since 2013, was a disgrace. However, all the councils identified have now fixed the mistakes. I would encourage all carers who thought they weren’t eligible after previously checking councils’ websites to check again."
Helen Walker, chief executive of Carers UK, added: "Every penny counts for unpaid carers. The fact that all 69 councils highlighted have corrected misleading information is an excellent result. We would encourage carers living in the areas identified to check again to see if they may be eligible after all."
Eligibility for the discount includes cases where a parent cares for an adult child, an adult child cares for a parent, or adult siblings care for one another. The person being cared for must receive one of six qualifying disability benefits. Carers who believe they missed out due to incorrect council information can ask for a backdated discount to the point of first eligibility.
