The first people in Bristol to receive a one-off municipal tax rebate of £ 150 to help pay rising energy bills will start receiving the money next Monday, council chiefs said.
The government announced the rebate earlier this year and it had to be paid to all eligible in April, but the Bristol City Council – along with many other councils across the country – had to postpone it until May to figure out how to get money from the people who are entitled to it.
Council member financial cabinet member Craig Cheney said everyone in the town hall was grateful for the patience shown by the people who were waiting for him as the council’s wheels turned to resolve this.
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“We believe that schemes like this are vital as energy prices rise and national social security contributions and food prices rise,” said Cllr Cheney. “That is why we are grateful for everyone’s patience as we work hard to implement this new system.
“At the same time, we know that for too many people, a one-off £ 150 discount will not be enough and much more needs to be done. In Bristol, there were more than 38,400 people in the city who demanded Universal Credit earlier this year, many of whom will now feel the pinch of government-imposed welfare cuts.
“We have a rent crisis, with rental prices jumping 52 percent in the last decade, with no signs of slowing down to allow wage growth to catch up. Our recent Quality of Life Survey tells us that at least 10 percent of people in the city’s most needy areas have experienced food insecurity – twice as many as in the previous year.
“If you need help, please contact us. There is advice, support and information throughout the city. We are working on how we can provide additional assistance and have implemented support to try to mitigate the impact of rising costs. We have prioritized support for low-income households, being one of the few councils to propose a 100 per cent municipal tax reduction scheme, as well as a local crisis prevention fund. If you are not eligible for these schemes but are in financial difficulty and are worried about paying your municipal tax bill, please contact us. We will do everything possible to support you, “he added.
Who is entitled to a municipal tax rebate?
The scheme, announced by the Chancellor earlier this year, provides for a one-off payment of £ 150 to most households living in homes in the A to D municipal tax range.
How will the money be paid?
If you pay your municipal tax by direct debit each month, the council will simply put the money in your account by Monday, May 16 – and then send you a letter confirming that they did.
If you do not pay your municipal tax by direct debit, then you must claim this money back. The council will put a form on its website from Monday, May 23, which people can go and fill out by providing their bank details to receive this payment.
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There will be an option for people to simply tell the council to keep the money and withdraw it from their next municipal tax bill.
If you do not pay by direct debit and cannot or do not want to access the Internet to claim the money, then the council said: “A service will also be provided to help those who do not have access to the online form.”
If you pay by direct debit, but the council does not send you the money until the end of next week, then they offer people to go online from May 23 and request it.
What if you don’t need money?
Bristol City Council said it was “aware that some households may not feel they need the municipal tax rebate”. You can live in a Band AD property and be quite wealthy and altruistic at the same time, so you don’t need money.
So the council will propose a scheme that allows people to donate all or part of it to help support those most in need in the city. “Some residents are already interested in a scheme like this, and if others want to know more, send an email to counciltaxforms@bristol.gov.uk. This will not affect the granting of the discount, but will enable them to make a direct donation for local funding for crisis situations, “the council said.
(Image: Getty Images)
What if you need it but don’t have the right to it?
Although there are wealthy people living in Band AD homes, there are also people who need this £ 150 discount who live in larger homes that are classified as Band E to Band H.
If this is you, the council has thought of you too.
“Bristol also received a discretionary fund as part of a scheme to help residents who are considered most in need of support,” a council spokesman said. “This will support households living in Bristol in bands E to H who are in need, or those in groups A to D who do not qualify for a municipal tax rebate. Only one household application can be made.
“Residents will have to apply through an online application form and will be asked to provide evidence, including a municipal tax account number, a photo ID and proof of address, in support of the information provided in the application. Eligibility criteria will include that the person must live in the Bristol Municipal Council area of primary residence from Friday, April 1, 2022, and pay his energy costs directly to the energy supplier through an account or prepayment meter. and not as part of your rent.
“The discretionary fund process is being finalized and additional information, including full eligibility criteria and exemptions, will be made available on the Bristol City Council website as soon as possible,” they added.
Fraud warning
As with most things like this, fraudsters are quick to come up with the idea that people need to provide banking data to organizations. And there are already reports of fraudsters calling unsuspecting residents and saying they are from the council and asking for bank details to get this discount.
“Residents have also been warned not to violate telephone fraud with tax rebates observed in other parts of the country,” a council spokesman said. “The council has confirmed that it will not call to ask for their bank details regarding the discount.
So, if you get a phone call in Bristol about this municipal tax rebate, it’s a scam.
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