If you sign-up to pay your council tax by direct debit, you could receive your expected £150 energy rebate from the government directly into your account, as soon as it is available.

The cost of living continues to increase and has been made even more difficult with the rise in the cost of energy bills. The government has recently made an announcement about a scheme with the aim of helping millions of households with their bills. This is a one-off payment of £150 payable to every eligible household in council tax bands A-D.

Residents who live in a home that is in council tax bands A-D should be eligible for this one-off payment and Ealing Council is urging residents to set up direct debit payments to make the process as easy as possible. This is because it would mean the council would have all the information it needed to make the payment straight to your account as soon as the money was released by the government. 

If you do not have a direct debit set up, but you still quality for the rebate, you will need to apply to the council for the rebate and this would take longer.

If you pay council tax by direct debit

If your council tax is paid by direct debit then Ealing Council will automatically pay the award to your bank account. Direct debits can be set up on the council’s website.

If you do NOT pay council tax by direct debit

If you do not pay your council tax by the direct debit method you will be able to claim the grant by completing an online application form. This is expected to be available in April.

This will be for your household circumstances as at 1 April 2022. Please search under Energy Bills Rebate on the council’s website.

More about the rebate

Some residents will already be aware of the offer because the council recently sent out letters and text messages to encourage them to sign-up.

If you meet all of these following criteria on 1 April 2022 you are likely to receive the £150 payment:

• You are a council tax payer
• Your home is your sole or main residence
• Your home is banded in a council tax band from A to D

Payment may also be made if:

• Your home has council tax exemption because your household: Is a student household, or is home to someone with severe mental impairment, or all of its occupants in residence are under 18 years of age, or is an annexe with an elderly or dependent relative

• You have successfully claimed under the disabled band reduction scheme and your Band E home has an alternative valuation of Band D, you will still be eligible for the energy bills rebate if you receive Council Tax Support/Reduction.

You are not eligible for the energy bills rebate if:

• A property that has no permanent resident and is someone’s second home

• An unoccupied property (for the purposes of calculating council tax)

• Your property is exempt from charge, unless the exemption is specifically due to: being a student household, being home to someone with a severe mental impairment, or all occupants in residence being under 18 years of age, or having an annexe with an elderly or dependant relative claiming the Energy Bills Rebate.