An East Lancashire local authority has drawn up its discretionary Council Tax Energy Rebate Discretionary Fund Scheme for those households which missed out on the mandatory £150 payment.
All households in council tax valuation bands A to D are entitled to an automatic payment of £150 to help to towards the rising costs of gas and electricity bill. But now Hyndburn Council has approved a scheme to support those who missed out but still need cash assistance or need extra help.
Lee Middlehurst – its head of benefits – submitted a report to the authority’s May full council meeting which said: “The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has made £215,250 available to the council to provide support to households through the discretionary fund that are not eligible for the main Council Tax Energy Rebate scheme.
READ MORE: Preston £40m leisure complex progress as cinema chain and opening date announced
“We intend to have the application process operating on our website during late May/early June. We would expect to commence allocation of awards from the discretionary fund from July 1.
”For the discretionary fund scheme, the council estimated up to 400 households within valuation bands E to H that are considered to potentially meet the eligibility criteria with a further 6,000 households potentially eligible for a top-up payment.”
Householders eligible for the discretionary scheme include those where the property is valued in Council Tax bands E to H and the person liable for council tax, their partner or someone in their household, is in receipt of one of Child Tax Credit;Council Tax Support; Employment and Support Allowance (Income Related); Housing Benefit; Income Support; Job Seekers Allowance (Income Based); Pension Credit); Universal Credit; or Working Tax Credit.
Also included are residents of properties in council tax bands E to H occupied only by students, school or college leavers; only by persons under-18; or only by severely mentally impaired persons. A further group entitled to the discretionary payments live in properties in council tax bands A to H where the property is a House in Multiple Occupation or sheltered accommodation where the household or tenant is not liable for council tax but energy bill costs included in the rent have resulted in a rent increase.
Mr Middlehurst’s report adds: “In addition the council will also consider an additional discretionary fund top-up payment to households in council tax bands A to H, that are in receipt of Council Tax Support. The level of the top-up payment will be at the determination of the council.”
