South Hams residents start to receive their £150 council tax rebates

South Hams District Council has paid the £150 Council Tax Energy Rebate to the first 9,000 households.

The rebate, which will not require repayment unlike the a £200 “energy bills discount”, has been paid to more than 9,000 households across the South Hams, who live in Council Tax bands A to D and who paid by direct debit on 1 April. Those with different direct debit payment dates throughout April “will receive similar payments soon”.

A spokesperson for SHDC said: “Despite guidance issued to councils stating that payments should be made by the deadline of 30 September, South Hams District Council knew that their residents needed this extra help as soon as possible.

“Staff worked rapidly to set up the systems to those already registered by direct debit, so they could be paid as early as possible. Whereas some councils nationwide have told their residents that they won’t receive payment until as late as the September deadline.

“To date, the council has issued just over 9,000 payments, which were paid to residents’ bank accounts last week.”

An application form is live on the council’s website, for those who do not pay by direct debit, and these will be processed from May.

South Hams District Council’s Deputy Leader, Cllr Hilary Bastone, said: "We want to support our residents as much as possible and getting the money to those who need it, as fast as possible is crucial. Our teams are well practised after years of paying business grants at being able to quickly react to ever changing situations and they have done it yet again.

“We are one of the first batches of councils to get the money paid direct to our residents.

“We will continue to work our way through the rest of the direct debit payments as quickly as we can and then we’ll move on to those residents who don’t pay their council tax by direct debit. If we don’t already have your bank details, then there is a form on our website where you can send them to us.

“If residents don’t qualify for this rebate, there are other ways we can help, so please do look at what is available on our website if residents need support.

“There are a lot of unscrupulous people out there who will try to take advantage of vulnerable people, so please watch out for scammers who may try to cold call residents to gain access to their bank account details. We stress that we never ask for residents’ bank details over the phone, so please never release these. If in any doubt, please contact us directly."

The rebate comes as inflation hits a record high and the cost of living skyrockets. As food prices increase, Council Tax increases, National Insurance increases and fuel bills increase, this rebate will be welcomed but will probably not scratch the surface for struggling families.

According to a Research Briefing from the House of Commons: “In the year to March 2022, domestic gas prices increased by 28% and domestic electricity prices by 19%. On 3 February, the regulator Ofgem announced that the domestic energy price cap would increase from its current equivalent annual level of £1,277 per year to £1,971 in April; a 54% increase.

“Low-income households spend a larger proportion than average on energy and food so will be more affected by price increases. The Resolution Foundation estimates that an extra 1.3 million people will fall into absolute poverty in 2023, including 500,000 children.”

Find out more about the Council Tax Energy Rebate here: www.southhams.gov.uk/energy-rebate

What other Council Tax help can residents get?

If you are not eligible for the £150 rebate, you may be able to claim support for a Council Tax discount.

If you are on a low income or on certain benefits, you may also be able to claim help through a Council Tax Reduction scheme.

You can find out more about what is on offer here: www.southhams.gov.uk/counciltax