FIFE Council will shortly be contacting some residents in the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area to check their circumstances as part of a regular council tax discount review.

If there is only one adult living in a property they can get a 25% discount on their council tax bill, worth at least £250 a year.

But councils have a duty to collect council tax from every household and to make sure people claiming discounts are entitled to them.

The council will write to residents who receive the single person discount asking them to explain their current circumstances.

This will let residents notify the local authority if there has been a change in their circumstances and help us keep their records up to date.

Anyone who receives a letter must follow the instructions in it, otherwise their discount will be cancelled.

Les Robertson, Head of Revenue and Commercial Services said: “We encourage people to apply for the benefits that they’re entitled to. "The single person discount can make council tax a lot more affordable for households with lower incomes, including pensioners living alone and single parent families.

"You can apply for different types of discount or let the council know about a change in your household by managing your council tax online at www.fifedirect.org.uk/counciltax “However, the council has a legal and social responsibility to collect all the council tax that we’re legitimately owed.

"This money funds local services. Discounts obviously reduce the overall amount we can collect so, to be fair to all council tax payers, we need to make sure people are eligible for any discount.

“We regularly review our records and people who are already receiving a discount will be contacted over the next few months. If someone is no longer eligible for a discount then we will adjust their council tax bill so that they contribute to vital services on the same basis as other residents.”