| Media Release Wealden District Council 08 March 2022 Council Tax rebate available for thousands of Wealden residents Thousands of households across Wealden are set to receive a £150 Council Tax rebate to help with rising energy costs. Residents living in Council Tax bands A-D – excluding second or empty properties – will be eligible for the rebate, announced by the government last month. Guidelines on how rebates will be paid to households have been released. The quickest way to receive the rebate is to sign up to Direct Debit payments. There will be only one payment per household regardless of the number of occupants and will be paid once verification has been completed which is likely to be in May or June 2022. Wealden District Council will be working as quickly as possible to make payments and is urging occupants to set up a direct debit to speed up the process. All rebates will be awarded after April’s Council Tax has been collected and cleared and all eligibility criteria has been met. Residents not currently paying via Direct Debit can set one up, or if Direct Debit isn’t a chosen method, payment will still be given but bank details will need to be provided. Any rebate given will not need to be repaid. A discretionary scheme is being considered for homes in bands E-H and the government is expected to release more details in the coming weeks. Councillor Ray Cade, Wealden council’s Housing and Benefits portfolio holder, said, “We are pleased to be able to give so many households within the area a rebate to try and help alleviate financial pressures that many households have felt over the winter period with the rise in energy costs. “We are also hoping to help occupants in bands E-H with a discretionary rebate and this is currently being considered.” The government announced the Council Tax rebate scheme earlier this year in a bid to help homeowners with the cost of living as energy prices have increased dramatically. To set up your direct debit for the Council Tax rebate and for more information, please visit https://www.wealden.gov.uk/council-tax/ For further information: Liane Tew Local taxation and benefits manager Wealden District Council Tel: 01323 443 150 Email: Liane.tew@wealden.gov.uk Or Sian Killean Media and communications officer Wealden District Council Tel: 07970 233 231 Email: Sian.Killean@wealden.gov.uk |