Oxford City Council is urging residents not to miss out on council tax energy rebate following the announcement by the Government in February that households in England that are in council tax bands A to D would receive a £150 rebate from April.
To receive the rebate, you must meet these criteria;
- you are the person liable to pay council tax,
- your property is in council tax band A, B, C or D and properties in band E, with an alternative valuation band of D, due to a disabled reduction scheme award, and
- your property was occupied by you, as your sole or main residence, on 01 April 2022.
You’ll still be entitled to the payment even if you pay less than £150 council tax, receive the single person discount, or do not pay because you receive council tax support.
Applying for the council tax energy rebate
If you pay by Direct Debit, you may have already received the payment.
If you are not signed up to pay your council tax by Direct Debit, you’ll need to apply using the City Council’s online application system. Council officers are now reaching out to those who do not pay their council tax by direct debit to help them pay that way, as it’ll help them receive the cash sooner.
The Energy rebate webpage has further details and instructions on how to apply and the link to the Council’s application scheme. Claims can only be made online, not by email, phone, or writing.
You’ll need to provide your bank details, date of birth, council tax account and property reference number. The property reference is available using the link during the application. You’ll also need a scan or photo of a recent bank statement and a form of ID.
You can check the property’s council tax band on the GOV.UK website.
Unoccupied properties, properties classed as a second home, or those where the liable person is a local authority, corporate body, housing association, or government body are not eligible for the £150 rebate.
Applications close at midnight on 31 August 2022.
For more information, visit the government’s council tax energy rebate website.
Councillor Nigel Chapman, Cabinet Member for Citizen Focused Services at Oxford City Council, said: “We are in the middle of a cost of living crisis, exacerbated in many ways by the rapidly increasing cost of energy. I want everyone who is eligible and has not received this rebate automatically to apply.
“If you pay your council tax by Direct Debit, you will receive the rebate automatically. If you don’t, you’ll need to apply online. Don’t miss out – make sure you apply.
“Please think about switching to Direct Debit – it makes life easier for you and the Council. Our small dedicated team is working through payments from those on Direct Debit and those applying online, and we are trying to process these payments as quickly as possible.
“After this has been done, we will check and see if anyone has not yet applied, who might be eligible, and what support we can offer them to apply online.”
Additional Discretionary Rebate Fund
In addition to the council tax energy rebate, the City Council is also launching a discretionary scheme aimed at those who are not entitled to the £150 payment or are in greater need of support. Details will follow in due course.
