£150 To Start Hitting Thousands Of Bank Accounts In England Within Days
Residents living in England are set to receive a one-off £150 council tax rebate
Millions of households are set to receive a £150 council tax rebate to help out with the rising cost of living.
Residents in England who live in council tax bands A to D - which is around 80 percent of people - will get the £150 rebate starting from 1 April, although the exact date will vary depending on your local authority.
It's strongly recommended that if you don't already, then you should set up a direct debit to pay your council tax - as those who usually pay via a direct debit will have the money go straight into their bank accounts.
For those who don't have a direct debit and don't intend on setting one up, your local authority will be in touch telling you how you can claim your £150 rebate.
If you're unsure which band you're in, you can check via the Government's website here.
There is also the Discretionary Fund that was set up by the government for billing authorities to support households in need who cannot claim the £150 rebate. £100m will be allocated to this fund for 2022-2023 from April.
Devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are expected to receive around £565 million of Barnett funding as a result of the Council Tax Energy Rebate in England.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak announced the non-repayable rebate last month, alongside a £200 loan towards energy bills.
He said: "Right now, I know the number one issue on people's minds is the rising cost of living.
"That's why the Government is stepping in with direct support that will help around 28 million households with their rising energy costs over the next year.
"We stood behind British people and businesses throughout the pandemic and it's right we continue to do that as our economy recovers in the months ahead."
Later in the year, all domestic electricity customers will get £200 knocked off their energy bills, but unlike the council tax rebate, this will have to be paid back.
Around 28 million households will get the £200 discount on their electricity bills from October this year - this will then be paid back via people's bills in yearly £40 instalments over the next five years, starting from next year.
Commenting on the new plans, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "We are delivering a new package of targeted support to help with the financial pressures felt by families right across the country, with additional help for those most in need.
"This builds on the changes we've made to Universal Credit to put £1,000 more per year into the pockets of hardworking people and the increase to the National Living Wage to advance our vision for a high-wage and financially secure Britain."
Featured Image Credit: AlamyClaire Reid