Martin Lewis has urged unpaid carers to check if they can claim backdated Council Tax discounts after 69 councils corrected misleading information on their websites. The MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE) campaign found that one in five council websites in England and Wales displayed incorrect qualifying criteria for the live-in Carer Council Tax discount, potentially since 2013.
MSE’s investigation in January 2026 revealed that up to five million unpaid carers may have been deterred from claiming, missing out on between £500 and £1,000 each year. All 69 councils identified have since improved their online information. The UK Government also issued a letter in February 2026 encouraging councils to prioritise accuracy of Council Tax support information.
Martin Lewis said: “Carers are some of society’s most unsung heroes. They’re already hard done by, so even one council listing the wrong information – which risked deterring carers from claiming much needed help – would’ve been one too many. The fact our investigation found dozens of councils were doing it, and most likely since 2013, was a disgrace.” He encouraged carers who previously thought they were ineligible to check again and ask for a backdated discount.
Helen Walker, chief executive of Carers UK, welcomed the corrections and urged councils to recognise the pressures carers face. The discount may apply to those caring for someone receiving one of six disability benefits. MSE checked over 200 councils, finding 69 with incomplete criteria and 80 with no easily available information online.
