Energy bills council tax rebate: how to get the £150 cost of living government payment
HOUSEHOLDS across the UK could still be in line for a £150 Council Tax rebate.
Energy bills are soaring and inflation could reach over 18% next January.
But there is some help on offer, including the cost of living payments, Household Support Fund and welfare assistance scheme.
And there's also the £150 Council Tax rebate, but what is it, how do you get it and do you have to pay it back?
Below we tell you all you need to know.
What is the Council Tax rebate and why do I get it?
The Council Tax rebate is a £150 payment made to those who live in homes between council tax bands A - D.
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Councils are responsible for deciding who is eligible and also making the payments.
Councils started handing the money out in April and they have until September 30 to make all payments.
However, that means if you live in a home between bands E - H you won't get the payment, although there is the Discretionary Fund for these households.
The money through this scheme is being paid out to help struggling households in the higher rated council tax bands.
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But, how much you get will depend on where you live and what council area you fall under.
Solihull Council is paying up to £250, while Warwick District Council is paying up to £200.
If you want to work out what council area you live under, you can use the .
How to get the £150 cost of living government payment?
The £150 Council Tax rebate has already started being paid out to eligible households.
But how you get hold of it will depend on how you pay for your council tax.
If you pay by direct debit, you should receive the payment automatically, and therefore won't need to do anything.
Councils started making payments to direct debit payers from April.
According to the government, 97% of households who pay for their council tax via direct debit have already received their £150 rebate.
However, if you don't pay for your council tax by direct debit, you should be contacted by your council and will have to actively apply.
There are thousands who still haven't done this.
If you don't know how to make a claim for your £150 rebate, you should contact your local council.
If households don't apply by the deadline the £150 rebate will be paid as a credit and applied as a discount off their next council tax bill.
Do I have to pay the £150 cost of living payment back?
No. Because the money is a rebate, you don't have to pay the money back.
If it was a loan, for example, you would have to pay it back.
Why are the energy prices rising?
The energy cap, which sets a limit on how much suppliers can charge customers, is predicted to reach over £3,500 in October.
The exact cap amount will be announced on Friday but that would be a steep rise on the current cap, which is set just below £2,000.
But why has the cap gone up so much?
It's in part due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, as Russia provides Europe with a lot of its gas.
However, the Russian government is sending significantly less than usual, which is driving up wholesale prices.
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This, in turn, is being passed onto consumers.
Energy prices also rose after countries started emerging from the coronavirus pandemic, and more gas was needed to fuel cars and other forms of transport.