Local people on low incomes will be receiving extra support with the cost of living in the coming days as discretionary energy payments start to land in their bank accounts.
Published: Tuesday, 27th September 2022
The payments are fully funded by central government grants to Cherwell District Council and residents will not be paying anything extra on their Council Tax as a result.
The move follows on from the over £5.5m in £150 energy rebates paid by the council earlier in the year. Depending on whether they have already received this, all households who get Council Tax Reduction (CTR) will now receive the payments of either £30 or £180.
Councillor Adam Nell, Portfolio Holder for Finance, said: “This new round of payments follows on from the £150 Council Tax rebates many households received earlier in the year.
“The idea is that low-income households in bands A – D who receive Council Tax Reduction get that rebate topped up by a further £30 to a total of £180. If you are in bands E – F you won’t have received the initial £150 so you will get the £180 in one single payment.
“We’re distributing over £219,000 to these two groups and if they pay their Council Tax by direct debit it will reach their bank accounts this week. We are acutely aware of the pressure that the increasing cost of living is placing on low-income households and I hope that these payments help towards alleviating that for people on lower incomes in our area.”
People do not need to apply for these discretionary payments; they are being paid automatically using the bank account details connected to their Council Tax accounts.
Residents who have previously supplied their bank details to the council for the £150 energy rebates will also be paid the £30 top-up automatically.
For the eligible households who do not pay by direct debit, the same amounts are being added to their Council Tax accounts as credits.
Council Tax payers who don’t already receive CTR but think they may be entitled to it can find out more and apply here.
- The discretionary energy payments are being made to people who receive Council Tax Reduction (CTR).
- People in bands A – D who get CTR, as well as those in band E who get disabled band reduction, have already received the initial £150 and are now getting a £30 top-up.
- Those in bands E – H who get CTR were not eligible for the initial £150 but are now getting £180 payments.