Council tax: how to check you are among the South Tyneside households in line for a £150 energy rebate

Arrangements are being made to hand the cash directly over to residents who currently pay their council tax by direct debit.

However, those who are set to sign up to pay their bills by direct debit will have to wait for separate arrangements to be confirmed.

Concerns have already been raised in the borough that as many as 30,000 people who have not already registered for automatic payments could miss out of the refund, but bosses have promised to ensure information on how to claim the money is sent to eligible families.

A spokesperson for South Tyneside Council said: “Payments of the £150 Council Tax Energy Rebate are expected to be made from the end of April onwards.

"At this moment in time we are awaiting the necessary software needed to process payments to our direct debit customers and confirmation of the process for non-direct debit customers.

"We will be writing to everyone who is eligible with further details once these are confirmed.

“We continue to urge people who do not pay their council tax by direct debit to sign up to do so as soon as is practical. This should ensure that they receive their energy council tax rebate as smoothly as possible.

“Everyone will get the money that they are entitled to.”

What is the Council Tax Energy Rebate?

A one-off payment of £150 to households living in council tax bands A – D, expected to be made throughout April and which will not need to be paid back.

Who is eligible for a rebate?

Households in bands A-D and which they live in as their main home and were liable to pay council tax on as of April 1.

This includes those receiving Local Council Tax Support, even if their council tax bill for the year is less than £150, and some households which are already exempt from paying council tax.

But residents who live in a HMO (House of Multiple Occupation) are not eligible to receive the Council Tax Energy Rebate.

How do I know if I am in an eligible property?

You can check which local authority you are covered by here and which council tax band your property falls under here.

More details about the scheme in South Tyneside can be found here.

How do I get my council tax rebate?

If you live in an eligible property and you pay your council tax by direct debit, your local council will make the payment directly to your bank account automatically, starting from April 2022.

The Independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has predicted take up of the offer could be just 80% among households which per do not pay via direct debut.

If you live in an eligible property and you do not currently pay your council tax by direct debit, households in South Tyneside can sign up here.

How long do I have to make sure i can claim the money on offer?

Claims for the rebate can be processed up until September 30.