We know many of you are wondering when you will get your Council Tax Energy Rebate payment.
We’ve answered some of the most frequent questions below.
What is the Council Tax Energy Rebate?
Earlier this year, the government announced support to help with rising energy bills, including a one-off payment of £150 to households in Council Tax bands A to D, and a discretionary fund for residents in higher band properties.
People will not need to pay it back and it will not be treated as income for tax or benefit purposes.
How do I know if I qualify?
The Government has said you must be liable for Council Tax and have lived in a property within Council Tax bands A to D on 1 April 2022. This includes a property that is valued in band E, but has an alternative valuation band D as a result of the disabled band reduction scheme.
It must be your sole or main residence – second homes and empty properties are not eligible.
It must be a chargeable dwelling, or in the following exemption classes:
N (wholly occupied by students)
S (wholly occupied by residents under 18)
U (occupied by residents who are severely mentally impaired)
W (one of two dwellings in a single property occupied by a dependant relative of a person living in another dwelling in the property)
The person who is liable to pay the Council Tax (or would be were the property not exempt) is not a local authority, a corporate body, or other body such as a housing association, the government or governmental body.
When will I receive mine?
Our staff have been working really hard to put in place the necessary systems and procedures to make the rebate procedure as simple and efficient as it can be.
This is a significant piece of work because there are 224,500 eligible households in Liverpool and we need to make sure that payments are made correctly.
We are starting to pay the rebate to households in May.
When and how you receive your rebate depends on how you pay Council Tax:
Direct Debit households
If you are one of more than 110,000 households that pay by Direct Debit, you do not need to do anything – you will be paid a rebate during the month of May, although we can’t say exactly when because we are processing the payments in batches.
Other households
We will be announcing in the near future how other households can apply online. Look out for the letter from the council coming through your door from later in May.
This includes people who pay by standing order, get Council Tax paid through their benefits or are Liverpool City Council employees who pay through their salary.
We will be putting in place alternative procedures for people without internet access.
I am in a Band E – H property and I am struggling to pay my bills
We do know there are some families living in larger properties in Bands E to H that will also be struggling, so in the near future we will be releasing details of a discretionary scheme that they may be eligible to apply for.
If a household is not eligible for the £150 rebate because it is in Council Tax bands E to H, there may be help available through a discretionary fund.
More information about the criteria, and how to apply will be provided in the coming weeks.
I can’t afford to wait until the payment is made
We know that many people are struggling with the rising cost of living.
Liverpool City Council has a range of support in place:
Benefits advice
Request benefits advice or get help with Universal Credit claims today at www.liverpool.gov.uk/bms or check if you qualify online at www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators. You can also call freephone 0800 028 3697 or visit any One Stop Shop. You can also speak to your landlord if you’re a social housing tenant.
Liverpool Citizens Support Scheme
If you find yourself in crisis you can apply for support to get food and basic necessities for you and your family including gas and electric vouchers (urgent needs) and furniture and household essentials (home needs). An emergency or crisis might be a fire or flood, or you have had to move due to violence or fear of violence, or you are leaving care or prison and need support to stay in the community. Find out more: www.liverpool.gov.uk/benefits/help-in-a-crisis/liverpool-citizens-support-scheme/
Debt
Your local Citizens Advice can help you deal with debt. You can book appointments with a specialist advisor by calling 0344 848 7700 or visit www.citizensadviceliverpool.org.uk to find your local office. For details of other organisations go to www.liverpool.gov.uk/debt
Council Tax
Call us today on 0800 028 3686 if you’re having problems paying your Council Tax, have Council Tax arrears, are struggling to pay back overpaid Housing Benefit, or owe other debts to the council.
Free school meals
Apply today at www.liverpool.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals or call free phone 0800 028 3697.
Fuel and energy bills
Our Healthy Homes team can provide free help and advice if you’re struggling to pay your fuel bills, and energy saving hints and tips to help keep you warm and your bills low. They may also be able to help with replacement boilers and windows. Visit www.liverpool.gov.uk/housing/fuel-poverty-and-energy-efficiency/ or call them on freephone 0800 0121 754.
Council Tax Support
Council Tax Support helps you pay some of your Council Tax if you are on a low income or claiming certain benefits. You can claim whether you own your home or rent, or whether you’re working or unemployed. Find out more: www.liverpool.gov.uk/benefits/housing-benefits/council-tax-support/
Discretionary Housing Payments
Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) can give you short term help to pay your rent when Housing Benefit or Universal Credit does not meet your rent in full. You can apply if you receive Housing Benefit or the housing cost element of Universal Credit or there is a shortfall between your rent and benefit entitlement. Find out more: www.liverpool.gov.uk/benefits/housing-benefits/discretionary-housing-payments/
Want to know more?
Visit www.liverpool.gov.uk/counciltaxenergyrebate for the latest information.
