Two councils in Leicestershire have been forced to quickly change information about carer council tax after being called out during an investigation. 

Martin Lewis' MoneySavingExpert (MSE) pointed out that North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) and Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council (HBBC) had incorrect information on their websites about carer council tax discounts. 

The investigation found that at least 69 councils in England and Wales, including seven London boroughs, had incorrect information. 

Martin Lewis, founder of MSE, said that "unpaid carers can't trust councils' information about Carers' Council Tax discounts". 

He added: "Thirty-five hours a week of unpaid caring is no small feat. This army of up to five million carers provides a silent and often unthanked backbone that takes a burden off the NHS and care system – reducing the cost to the state. 

"While it's often done out of love, that doesn't mean it isn't hard. And while this discount isn't means-tested, many who are caring, unpaid, for at least 35 hours a week, are almost certainly under a great deal of financial stress. So, the idea that they're being misled about £100s a year in discounts from their own councils really sticks in the craw. 

"We are writing to all the councils involved to ask them to urgently update their websites and to ensure their internal policies are compliant." 

Helen Walker, chief executive at the charity Carers UK, said: "It's simply unacceptable that carers are presented with the wrong information when they are so urgently in need of help. 

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"It's essential that they have the right facts about council tax discounts in front of them to help them claim what they're entitled to. This could be a lifeline for many families, helping to relieve some of the pressure they feel and making an important difference to their ability to make ends meet." 

Those who are classified as live-in carers are disregarded for council tax, therefore the households could qualify for a 25% discount. The carer would need to provide at least 35 hours of free care a week to someone in their household who isn't a spouse, partner, or a child under 18. 

Meanwhile, new rules in 2013 expanded what benefits the person being cared for should also receive, including Armed Forces Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance and Personal Independence Payment. 

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) found that both NWLDC and Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council had incorrect carer council tax information on their website on January 12 – the day the investigation findings were revealed. 

However, since then, HBBC quickly updated its council tax information on 12 January, while NWLDC updated its page on 13 January. 

A spokesperson for the Leicestershire Revenues and Benefits Partnership, on behalf of both the councils, confirmed to the LDRS that it was "reviewing" the content on its website. 

However, since then, the spokesperson confirmed that the carer discount information had been changed. 

A spokesperson for MoneySavingExpert also confirmed that the councils had changed the incorrect information but would not comment on individual councils. 

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