One in four who contested their council tax reduced their bill last year – how to challenge your band

Over 10,000 households successfully had their council tax band lowered last year according to new data, securing lower bills for the future.

The government's Valuation Office Agency (VOA) says of the 39,590 cases resolved between April 2023 and March 2024, 10,530 (27%) successfully had their property moved to a lower council tax band. These households will now pay less and may be in line for a refund for what they've overpaid.

Here, Which? digs deeper into the data and explains how you can apply for a council tax refund or reduction.

Fewer people challenging their tax band

Last year, 43,820 people in England and Wales challenged their council tax band, down 15% from 2022-23 when 51,300 submitted challenges.

According to the VOA, 39,590 cases were resolved, with 10,530 seeing a council tax reduction, 25,930 unchanged and just 30 resulting in a tax band increase.

This means that 27%, or just over one in four, were successful in getting their council tax band reduced. This is almost identical to 2022-23, when 28% were successful.

Just 0.08% of resolved challenges last year resulted in a tax band increase.

The Valuation Office saw a spike in band reviews after February 2022, which the office attributes to a government announcement that households in tax bands A to D in England would receive a £150 rebate on their Council Tax bills – a scheme that has since ended.

• Find out more: council tax bands explained 

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Reviews, proposals and appeals

Challenges are split between ‘band reviews’, ‘proposals’ and ‘appeals’ (from failed proposals).

A band review is carried out when the taxpayer brings a potential inaccuracy to the attention of the VOA. You must provide sufficient evidence to the VOA to show why you consider your council tax band to be incorrect. Review outcomes cannot be appealed.

A proposal is a formal challenge to a council tax list entry. There are limited circumstances under which a proposal can be accepted; the main route is that of a new occupier proposing within the first six months of becoming the taxpayer for their home. 

For proposals, you do not need to provide evidence upfront that the banding is wrong, unlike band reviews. If the proposal fails, you have up to three months to appeal to a Valuation Tribunal.

Success rates differ between reviews and proposals. In 2023-24, 41% of band reviews resulted in a lowered tax band, compared to 19% of proposals.

• Find out more: council tax calculator 2024-25 

How to query your council tax band

Bands are based on the value of your property in April 1991 for England and Scotland, or April 2003 if it's in Wales. Northern Ireland uses the old system of ‘domestic rates’, which is based on the capital value of a property. 

The original valuation might have been wrong or changes may have been made to the property's use or size since its valuation, which might alter the band it should sit in – for example, if the property has been converted into flats or part of it has been demolished since the original valuation.

Here are the steps you can take:

1. Check what your neighbours pay: if they have a similar property to yours, it's worth seeing if they are in a different band to you. You can also check the VOA or Scottish Assessors Association (SAA) websites to see how much other similar properties pay in your area. But it's worth noting the VOA won’t use this as a good source of evidence if you ask them to review your band. 
2. Check your home's value: use the Nationwide House Price Index calculator to get a valuation for the relevant year (1991 or 2003) and check it matches the current banding. But bear in mind that the VOA won't use this as a good source of evidence if you ask it to review your band.
3. Contact the VOA: if you still think your property was incorrectly put in a higher council tax band to start with, you can request a review directly with the VOA or SAA. 
4. Make an appeal: if you've made a formal challenge and you're rejected, you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal for England or the Valuation Tribunal Wales. If you live in Scotland and the challenge cannot be resolved by your local assessor within six months, the dispute will then be referred to the Valuation Appeal Committee.

While the risk is very small, bear in mind that a change to the valuation of your home could push you into a higher tax band and – gulp! – leave you with an even bigger bill.

• Find out more: how to get a council tax reduction or refund 

Other ways to reduce council tax

Even if you think your property is in the right council tax band, there may still be ways to reduce your bills – depending on your circumstances and who you live with.

If you live alone, or with someone who isn't counted as having to pay council tax, you could get a 25% discount. Those who are disregarded for council tax include student nurses, full-time students, those under the age of 25 in approved training and members of visiting forces. 

Our guide to reducing your council tax bill provides more information.

These discounts are not applied automatically. If you think you're eligible, you must make an application for the discount and you'll usually have to provide proof.

What if you can't pay your bill?

If you can't afford your bill, contact your local council immediately. There are several ways it may be able to help, including rescheduling your payments, reducing your payments if you're on a low income or claiming benefits, and offering ‘hardship relief’.

Failing to pay your council tax bill can have serious consequences. If you don't pay after receiving a final notice, then councils can take legal action, including getting your employer to pay your unpaid council tax directly from your wages, or sending in bailiffs. 

If all else fails, you can be taken to court and even face prison time.

The headline of this story has changed. A previous version stated one in three successfully challenged their bill but it was just over one in four.