How to get the £150 council tax rebate if you are not on direct debit
Households across the West Midlands are waiting for a £150 council tax rebate that will be paid in a bid to counteract rising energy bills.
All properties in council tax bands A to D are entitled to the £150 payment – but only those paying council tax by direct debit will receive it automatically.
But a study has revealed more than 444,000 households across the West Midlands currently pay council tax manually, meaning they will have to apply to receive the rebate. These residents either pay their bills by visiting their council’s website every month, make their payments by phone or visit their town hall to pay in person.
The Local Government Association, which represents councils across the country, said payments will be made from today. But councils across the country have warned there could be a delay with handing it out.
Councils are now undertaking a “major exercise” of writing to all households which do not pay bills by direct debit, advising them how to claim the £150. Some councils have been told not to pay the £150 until households have made their council tax bill payment for April.
A flyer from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities with information about the rebate is to be sent out with all annual council tax bills. Authorities are encouraging residents to set up a direct debit so they receive the rebate as quickly as possible – but alternative plans are being put in place.
What is the situation in your area?
Wolverhampton
Around 48,000 households across Wolverhampton will not automatically receive the £150 council tax rebate they are due in April.
The council has said an online application form is available on its website - visit wolverhampton.gov.uk/council-tax/council-tax-rebate
Little information has been circulated by the council, except that the rebate will be promoted via all channels available to the council including “social media, partner community organisations, councillors, distribution networks, resident newsletters and more”.
Dudley
The Black Country borough revealed that 141,000 households pay council tax.
Approximately 95,000 households pay council tax by direct debit. But 46,000 households, or 48 per cent do not pay by direct debit.
Balvinder Heran, deputy chief executive at Dudley Council, said: “Approximately two thirds of all households currently pay their council tax by direct debit and 46,000 households choose to pay by other means.
“We’re encouraging anyone who doesn’t already pay by direct debit to do so as it means their £150 rebate will be paid automatically in the weeks following their first direct debit payment. We will contact all other households who choose not to pay by direct debit to arrange their rebate payment.”
Visit dudley.gov.uk/residents/council-tax/council-tax-rebate
Sandwell
Sandwell had one of the highest council tax rises in the West Midlands, and the country, at 4.99 per cent.
Out of approximately 120,000 households, nearly 35,000, or 29 per cent, do not pay their council tax by direct debit.
An online form will be available on Sandwell council’s website later in April for people who do not pay their council tax by direct debit to provide their details so payments can be made into their bank accounts.
A spokesperson for Sandwell Council said: “Sandwell Council is working to award the £150 council tax rebate to those residents who are eligible. For those signed up to direct debit, we are aiming to start to make these payments in early April. Those not on direct debit will need to complete an application form before we can make the payment, and we expect the application form to be available soon.
“We also have approximately 20,000 households currently in receipt of council tax reduction who have no council tax to pay but are still eligible for the rebate.”
Visit sandwell.gov.uk/energybillsrebate
Walsall
Approximately 92 per cent of households in the borough, some 108,000, are eligible for the council tax rebate. But nearly 46,000 of those households, 43 per cent, do not pay their council tax via direct debit.
The council will shortly publicise its plans to make payments to those not in receipt of direct debit and details about the discretionary scheme which will support those vulnerable residents who may not qualify for the £150 rebate. Residents are encouraged to check the council website for more information. Visit walsall.gov.uk/council_tax/council_tax_discounts_reductions_and_exemptions/council_tax_rebate_for_properties_in_bands_a-d
A spokesperson for Walsall council said: “To support eligible households (in council tax bands A to D) with receiving their £150 council tax energy rebate, for those that currently pay their council tax by direct debit, the council will be making direct payment after the initial payment of the 2022/23 council tax has been collected.
“Households not on the direct debit scheme (currently around 43 per cent of households in the borough) will be contacted to obtain bank details and other methods of payment to ensure that the rebate can be made as promptly as possible direct into their accounts.”
Birmingham
Birmingham has approximately 417,000 properties which fit into the A-D council tax bandings. The council holds bank details for around half of residents in these properties – around 206,000 properties.
The other half, an eye-watering 211,000 households, have no bank details recorded with Birmingham City Council.
The scheme will be open for payments to be made to eligible households until the end of September 2022 for the main scheme and the end of November for the discretionary scheme. The payments received will be disregarded as income for any people on means tested benefits.
At their last cabinet meeting, councillors discussed the rebate scheme, adding the government will provide £3.6 million in funding for Birmingham to operate a discretionary fund for households in need who would not otherwise be eligible. This could include, for example, individuals on low incomes who live in properties valued in bands E-H.
A spokesman for Birmingham City Council said: "We will need to ensure all council tax rebate payments are made by 30 September 2022. We anticipate, following verification checks, the first payments will start to be made towards the end of April/beginning of May, however this will be confirmed when the timescales have been finalised.
"If you already pay your council tax bill by direct debit and the name(s) of the bank account held matches the name(s) on the council tax bill, you do not need to contact us. It’s not too late to set up your direct debit if you already have (or would like to register for) a BRUM account (sign in or register for a BRUM account here). Alternatively, you can complete a direct debit form without creating a BRUM account.
"As this evolves, where eligible households haven’t claimed we will be looking into appropriate methods of communication i.e. social media, text, email or letter but, we do have until the end of September to reach out to those citizens who haven’t contacted us."
