Martin Lewis' MoneySavingExpert team has warned how Brits are facing a "painful" spring this year as bills are set to rocket.
The range of household bills are set to be hiked include broadband, energy and water bills.
Particularly, the MSE team warned about the upcoming increases to council tax which is set to hit millions in England from April.
The MSE newsletter wrote: "To add to the strain, most local authorities in England plan to hike council tax bills by the maximum 5% allowed.
"That'll add almost £100 to the average band D property bill."
Due to this, Martin Lewis' team urged everyone to check whether they could qualify for a council tax discount or reduction.
The team then highlighted three ways you could make your council tax cheaper when the hikes come in April.
The first recommendation from the MSE team is to check whether your home has been put in the wrong council tax band.
The newsletter noted that there could be around 400,000 homes in England and Scotland the wrong band which could mean you are paying more council tax than you should be.
Martin Lewis has been talking about this for over the last decade and has created a step by step guide in how you could challenge your banding.
In brief, the steps include:
- Step 1 - Compare your band with nearby similar homes.
- Step 2 - Estimate your home's value in 1991.
- Step 3 - If BOTH checks show your band may be too high, challenge it.
The newsletter warned that by doing this, your council tax could go up as well as down.
It added: "Beware though: there's a risk it could reveal that you (and neighbours) are in too low a band - meaning higher costs."
The Money Saving Expert team then highlighted the circumstances where your council tax could be discounted or even cut by 100%.
These circumstances include if you live alone, are a full-time student, have a life in carer, or are on benefits such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit.
The team also highlighted that those who suffer from a "severe mental impairment (SMI)" such as Alzheimer's, or Parkinson's or have had a stroke and are eligible for benefits could be classed as "'disregarded for council tax purposes" which means they could be due a discount and may even get a rebate.
