Council Tax Energy Rebate
Latest Update September 2022.
The online application process in now closed.
Where applications have not been made and where we believe the household is eligible we will be crediting the £150.00 directly to Council Tax accounts (as per government guidance). You will receive a Council Tax notice if we have credited it to your account.
All rebates must be paid by 30th September 2022 – we are not able to make any payments after this date.
Eligibility
Only occupied dwellings banded A – D will be eligible for the rebate. The dwelling must be a sole or main residence and occupied on the qualifying date of 1 April 2022. Empty and second homes will not be eligible. Other qualifying criteria will apply.
Who is not eligible
Payments
We have made as many automatic payments as we have been able to.
If we are unable to make payments directly and where applications aren’t made, as per government guidelines we can now credit payments directly to the Council tax account.
- Please note you can only receive one payment per household.
- Any rebate correctly claimed will not need to be repaid.
Further information
- The latest government press release provides some useful information on what to expect from the scheme and how to check your Council Tax band.
- Government issued scheme guidance
- A CT Energy Rebate Leaflet included with your annual Council Tax Bill.
- Appealing your Council Tax Band – if you believe that your band is incorrect you can contact the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). We cannot alter your band for you.
- Information regarding the additional cost of living support announced 26 May 2022
Discretionary Rebate
The discretionary scheme is now live for applications.
This is a limited fund of £327,000, allowing us to make a maximum of 2,180 payments at £150.00 each. The scheme will close to applications on 28th October 2022 or when the funds are exhausted, whichever is sooner.
Eligibility
A household who is liable for Council Tax and lives in a Council Tax Band E to H property OR the household is not liable for Council Tax and resides in a Council Tax Band A to D property but is responsible for energy costs; and
Is either
- (a) In receipt of Universal Credit; Housing Benefit; Income Support; Council Tax Reduction; Income-Based Jobseeker’s Allowance; Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance; Working Tax Credit or Pension Credit; or
- (b) Is not on those benefits but has a net weekly income of less than £257 for a single person or £384.63 for a couple and has capital of no more than £6,000; and
- (c) Was resident in the property they are applying for on 1 April 2022.
Please allow ten working days for your application to be assessed before contacting us.
Council Tax Discounts
There are a number of Council Tax discounts that may be available for Council Tax.
If you are eligible and receive a discount and your circumstances change, you must notify the Council Tax department within 21 days of the change. If you fail to tell us about the change, you may be liable for a penalty.
There are various discounts that can reduce the Council Tax you have to pay and are separate from Council Tax Benefit/Support.
The Council Tax charge is based on two or more adults living in the property. If only one adult lives in a property as their main home, there is a reduction of one quarter (25%). For substantially unfurnished second or long term empty homes and properties that are furnished second homes there is no discount.
If you don’t live alone you could still claim a discount if the other adults are not counted for council tax when we calculate the bill, we would call this a “disregard discount”. Further information on disregard discount categories can be found below.
If you think you should be entitled to a discount you can complete our online single person discount form .
If your bill indicates that a discount has been allowed, you must tell the Council of any change in circumstances which affects your entitlement.
A student is a person (of any age) enrolled in a full-time course of further education at a prescribed educational establishment or a person under the age of 20 enrolled in certain qualifying courses defined in Council Tax regulations. A full-time course must last for at least a year and require minimum periods of study.
A student nurse is a person following a course leading to registration under the Nurses, Midwives, and Health Visitors Act 1979.
An apprentice is someone, regardless of age, employed for the purpose of learning a trade or profession, who is paid less than £195 per week and is undertaking a training programme leading to an accredited qualification.
A YT trainee is a person aged under 25 who is undertaking an approved training scheme recognised by the Department of Work & Pensions (DWS) .
Providing care through a connection with a local authority or a charity for at least 24 hours per week for pay of £44 a week or less and living at or near where the care is provided.