What you can pay less for in Britain: lawful discounts on your bills — no savings promised

There are no “money-saving secrets” or promises to “halve your bills” — and anyone charging for such tricks is best avoided. But there are lawful discounts and reliefs that many people simply never claim, because they do not know about them. Let us run through the main bills and see what is worth checking on yours.

Council Tax

This is the tax on your home paid to the council. Discounts people often miss: if only one adult lives in the home, you get 25% off. A household where everyone is a full-time student is fully exempt. Some people are “disregarded” when counting residents (for example a live-in carer, or someone with a severe mental impairment). On a low income you can apply for Council Tax Reduction through your council. And if you think your home is in the wrong valuation band, you can challenge it free through the Valuation Office Agency (VOA).

ADV · A003We build websites for tradespeople and sole traders — £219Customers see your work and prices and message you straight away. Ready in 3 days, £219 instead of £438.Advertise here

Energy: gas and electricity

The regulator Ofgem sets a price cap — a limit on the unit rates and standing charge on default tariffs. Note: it caps the rates, not the whole bill, which still depends on how much you use. Check you are not on an overpriced tariff. Vulnerable customers should join the Priority Services Register, a free extra-help register with your supplier. And the Warm Home Discount gives a £150 cut off your winter electricity if you receive certain benefits; for most people it is applied automatically.

Water, broadband and phone

Water has no hard cap like energy, but every water company runs social tariffs for low-income households, and the WaterSure scheme caps bills for metered customers who use a lot of water for medical reasons or a large family. Check broadband and mobile too: people on Universal Credit and some other benefits can get social tariffs of roughly £12–20 a month — much cheaper than standard, though providers rarely advertise them.

TV Licence

You need one if you watch live TV or BBC iPlayer, and it costs £180 a year (from April 2026). People over 75 who receive Pension Credit are entitled to a free licence; blind (severely sight impaired) people get 50% off. And if you never watch live TV or iPlayer, you do not legally need one — you can tell TV Licensing so.

Where to start

Run your situation through a free online benefits calculator — it shows what you are entitled to. If times are hard, ask your council about the Household Support Fund, one-off help with food and bills. And remember the key point: all of these reliefs are claimed free on official sites; no one needs to pay a middleman “to arrange a discount”. We promise no savings — but checking whether you are overpaying is well worth it.