Reclaim

Some 5,000 households in the UK who paid a doubled ground rent on their homes will get a refund after an investigation by the competition watchdog revealed “unfair” leasehold practices.

If you weren't eligible for the £150 council tax rebate to help with the cost of living but are struggling to pay your energy bills, you may be entitled to a one-off cash payment. We've trawled the websites of every UK council to see which ones have released their eligibility criteria for the money, and so check below.

The vast majority of councils say that they've paid the £150 council tax rebate, a scheme launched in April to help tackle rising energy prices, to households that pay their bills by direct debit. If you haven't had yours yet, don't panic. Here's what you need to know.

Millions will see benefit payments, such as universal credit and child benefit, rise from today under an uplift for the new financial year. If your family income is under £30,000 and you're not in receipt of any state support - it's worth spending 10 minutes to check if you're due benefits.

People should brace for the prospect that their £150 council tax rebate might not come in April, with reports of one council informing thousands of residents that a "software issue" is holding the payments up. But make sure you set up a direct debit in the meantime to prevent further delays.

The tax year ends on Tuesday 5 April and MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis has an urgent warning. Rules state you can only claim back tax for up to four years, so if you're owed money from the 2017/18 financial year, do it now or you lose the opportunity. Many could be missing out on £1,000s if they don't act now. Martin explained how in the cost of living crisis episode of The Martin Lewis Money Show Live. Below is the key excerpt…

About 20 million households in England – those with homes in council tax bands A to D – will get a £150 rebate in April. Here's how to guarantee you'll get it on time.

Friends or relatives can ignore requests by the Government to return overpaid state pension payments in the event of the recipient's death, as there is no legal obligation to pay the money back. 

An administrative error that resulted in decades of state pension underpayments, particularly for women, has been called a "shameful shambles" by a public spending watchdog. But if you think you've been affected and underpaid it's important you check to see if you are owed money.

As another difficult year ends with bad news aplenty, we wanted to lift the mood by warming your cockles with inspiring MoneySaving successes from people who used our tips in 2021. These include a £17,500 chargeback refund after a bathroom botch, an £8,200 overpaid council tax reclaim and £3,000 for flogging rubbish on eBay.