District Council prepares to issue £150 Council Tax Rebate to eligible households
Households in council tax bands A-D will soon be eligible to receive a non-repayable £150 Council Tax Rebate from the Government to help households with rising energy bills.
Forest of Dean District Council has now received the guidance from Government on distributing the Government’s Energy Bills Rebate scheme. Over the coming weeks the Council will be working to ensure it is ready to start making payments to those eligible.
Payments will first be made to residents who pay their Council Tax by direct debit in late April 2022. Contrary to some reports, the ‘rebate’ will not be taken off people’s council tax bills when they are issued but will be a separate payment.
Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Richard Leppington, said,
“Energy bills and the cost of living in general have been on the rise for some time now, and we are pleased to see that the Government is acknowledging this and providing some level of support through these £150 payments, which do not have to be paid back by residents.
“For those eligible, I encourage you to sign up to pay for your council tax via Direct Debit using our new online payment system, OpenPortal. This is the easiest way to set up and track your bill, and will also be the smoothest way to receive your £150 rebate in April as it can be paid directly into your bank account.”
More information on the rebate and how to set up an OpenPortal account will be sent out in council tax bills due to be delivered in the middle of March. Alternatively residents can set up an account by visiting fdean.gov.uk/openportal
Residents who are eligible but unable to set up an online account via OpenPortal will be contacted separately by the Council with information on how they will receive the rebate. The Council is currently working with providers to find a way to make payments to those not online and will be providing the information as soon as possible.
Cllr Leppington added:
“If you have any questions about the scheme please do wait until you have received your bill and read through the information before contacting customer services regarding any queries.”
There will also be a discretionary fund set up to support households who may be in need of support from the Energy Bills Rebate but are not eligible. More details on this will be shared in the coming weeks.
To ensure that the Council continues to prevent fraud and loss to the public purse, it will not be providing details of Council Tax Account Numbers or related property information via the telephone or email. Residents can find their Council Tax Account Number and Property Valuation Band on their annual bill.
OpenPortal is a new system set up where residents can view their bills and information online. The system also allows for Business Rates accounts to be viewed online, as well as any Benefits Claims. By signing up to OpenPortal, residents can move to a paperless system for their bills.
To find out more and register, visit https://fdean.gov.uk/openportal