Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, has called on unpaid carers to review their eligibility for backdated Council Tax discounts after recent improvements in council advisories. Following a campaign by MSE, 69 councils across England and Wales have updated their websites to provide clearer, accurate information about the live-in Carer Council Tax discount.
An investigation by MoneySavingExpert in January 2026 revealed that nearly 20% of local council websites had been advising carers with incorrect or incomplete qualification criteria since the eligibility rules changed in 2013. The outdated information likely deterred up to five million unpaid carers from claiming the discount, which typically provides between £500 and £1,000 in savings per year.
Lewis emphasized the importance of this discount for unpaid carers, calling them “unsung heroes” who deserve proper support. “It’s unacceptable that councils have been misinforming carers for more than a decade,” he said. “Now that corrections have been made, carers who were previously told they did not qualify should revisit their claims and ask for backdated discounts, where possible.”
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Helen Walker, CEO of Carers UK, praised the investigation and its positive results. She highlighted the financial pressures carers face, including increased costs and reduced income due to caring responsibilities. “We urge carers in the affected areas to recheck their eligibility and apply for the support they deserve,” she said.
The live-in Carer Council Tax discount applies when a carer provides at least 35 hours of unpaid care a week for someone in their home who is neither a spouse, partner, nor child under 18. The person receiving care must be on certain disability benefits, including those added to the qualifying list since 2013—benefits many councils had overlooked.
MSE’s review examined over 200 council websites and found that aside from the 69 councils with inaccurate criteria listings, another 80 failed to offer clear online guidance about qualifying benefits for the discount. The UK Government responded by sending out a letter to all English councils in February 2026, urging them to ensure Council Tax support information is accurate and accessible.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey also responded to the issue, promising to engage with councils still displaying incorrect guidance following the investigation’s revelations.
The live-in Carer discount effectively disregards the carer for Council Tax purposes. This typically allows the household to qualify for the 25% single person discount, and in some cases, additional discounts if the person cared for qualifies under the Severe Mental Impairment disregard.
Carers who believe they were wrongly denied the discount due to outdated or incorrect information are encouraged to contact their local council to request backdated relief to the point they first became eligible.