Council Tax £150 Energy Rebate

Hi does anyone have any details on the rules or guidance to local authorities on all this….or even views???

....for example, what happens (or should happen) if a CT payer is in CT arrears….does the LA pay the punter the £150 (ie pay the punter the money to help with their fuel bills as presumably intended) or is the LA allowed to simply reduce any existing arrears by up to the £150 (ie pay it to themselves)?

Also, when does it have to be paid?

I understand payments are meant to commence in April and - where possible - thru DDs which should be “straightforward”.......but have also ben informed unofficially that LAs will have until September 30th to pay it…..?

If a clt is not on DDs and is in arrears, what responsibility (ideally through guidance) is placed on the LA to identify and pay the clt (as opposed to relying on the vain hope of a punter in arrears contacting them to obtain £150 when they may owe £1500)??

See the other thread which links to the guidance such as it is:
https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/18048/

thanks - I had seen the guidance such as it is (but not the thread)...neither cover the scenario where arrears exist as far as I can see…....so, presumably, (not least) because any arrears will relate to a separate year’s liability and the “one off” rebate will relate to this coming year, there would be a legal argument to separate out entitlement to (and benefit from) the payment from the liability for any arrears…........like much of all this I guess we will have to see what happens in those scenarios

Peter Donohue - 10 March 2022 09:31 AM

thanks - I had seen the guidance such as it is (but not the thread)...neither cover the scenario where arrears exist as far as I can see…....so, presumably, (not least) because any arrears will relate to a separate year’s liability and the “one off” rebate will relate to this coming year, there would be a legal argument to separate out entitlement to (and benefit from) the payment from the liability for any arrears…........like much of all this I guess we will have to see what happens in those scenarios

I think they’d definitely be acting in breach of the basic expectations of government if they did try to recover outstanding arrears.

the government expects billing authorities to provide a £150 one-off payment to a liable council tax payer (or a person who would otherwise be liable where the property is exempt) for every household that occupies a property which meets all of the following criteria on 1 April 2022

Provide a payment is as clear as it gets in what is supposed to take place. You can’t provide a payment if you offset it against another debt before it’s even been paid.

I broadly agree with that last analysis….but as I say, for example, where a person has not been identified (maybe no DD in place) and is also in arrears, I have a nagging fear that the LA might try to avoid repaying central govt by “paying” the rebate for those individuals to clear arrears….cynical I know!

(It’s the job wot made me cynical)

Has anyone seen any guidance on the £150 CT rebate thing for wales?