How to apply for your £150 council tax energy rebate in South Tyneside

The scheme, which applies to council tax customers who do not pay by direct debit or anyone who has not paid their first council tax instalment by direct debit on or before 3 May 2022, will be open from Monday 16 May 2022 and will run until 10 June 2022.

Customers will be asked to complete a simple online form at www.southtyneside.gov.uk/counciltaxrebate from 16 May 2022.

To be able to complete the form online, householders will need to know their council tax account number and postcode of the property. These details can be found on their council tax bill.

Anyone who is unable to complete the form online can call 0191 424 4331 and a member of staff will support them through the process.

Cllr Joanne Bell, Lead Member for Resources and Innovation at South Tyneside Council, said: “We know that people need the rebate in their bank account as soon as possible and that is why we have worked hard to find a solution as swiftly as we could.

“Administering the rebate has been a mammoth task with new software and systems required in order to process it.

"We have already paid over 37,000 direct debit customers and are inviting the remaining eligible A-D households to come forward and apply for their rebate.

"We are writing to every eligible household to ensure that they have the details of the scheme.

“We do expect to receive high call volumes and web traffic in the early days of the application going live so please bear with us.”

When customers apply, they can choose to either:

:: Provide bank details, so the money can be paid directly into their accountThe council will aim to pay the money into bank accounts within 2 weeks, however, it is advised to allow up to 4 weeks. Bank account details will only be used to make the rebate payment and will not be used to collect any future council tax payments.

:: Ask for the money to be credited to their council tax accountThe council tax bill for 2022/23 will be reduced by £150. An amended bill showing the new payments will be sent within four weeks of receiving an application.

Anyone who does not apply for the rebate by 10 June 2022 will have the support credited to their council tax account. Their council tax bill for 2022/23 will be reduced by £150 and a new bill will be issued.

For more information about the council tax energy rebate and application process go to www.southtyneside.gov.uk/counciltaxrebate

Who is eligible?

Households in Council Tax bands A to D will receive the £150 rebate. Second homes or empty properties will not benefit.

The rebate is being provided on the basis that you were liable to pay Council Tax (or would have been if the property were not exempt) and that the property met the criteria below on 1 April 2022:

It is valued in Council Tax bands A to D. This includes property that is valued in band E but has an alternative valuation band of band D, as a result of the disabled band reduction scheme.

It is someone’s sole or main residence.

It is a chargeable dwelling (Council Tax is payable on the property), or in exemption classes N, S, U or W*; and

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.

* Class N (students – other than Houses in Multiple Occupation for Council Tax purposes)Class S (under 18s)Class U (people with a severe mental impairment)Class W (annexes occupied by a dependent relative)