Council tax rebate: How to collect

The payment, which comes amid rising council tax, gas, oil and energy bills, aims to soften the blow for millions of taxpayers sitting in bands A-D.

It’s a one-off cash sum which doesn’t need to be repaid by households, and which will be distributed by local councils.

Thousands, however, could miss out on getting their hands on the rebate early because they’re not signed up to direct debit.

There are plenty of ways to prepare for the payment. Here’s a council by council breakdown of how to get ready.

South Kesteven District Council

South Kesteven District Council tax payers can fill in a self-service form to switch to direct debit online at www.southkesteven.gov.uk/paymycounciltax

The authority said it is hoping to pay those taking part by the end of April, but warns those who pay by other methods may have to wait longer.

Cabinet Member for Finance Councillor Adam Stokes said: “Please don’t worry if you cannot pay in this way – you won’t miss out on the payment, it will simply take a little longer to process.”

An application form will be made available on our website in the coming weeks and further details will be issued as the scheme is developed.

Further details and a link to the appropriate forms will be available at www.southkesteven.gov.uk/rebate

South East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership (Boston Borough, East Lindsey and South Holland District Councils)

Residents will again need to fill out an application form, and all payments will be processed by your local council. 

The councils are now urging people to sign up to pay their council tax by direct debit in order to receive a £150 one-off amount, paid directly into their bank account. Those who pay by another method could see this rebate payment delayed.

A joint statement from portfolio holders for finance, Councillor Jonathan Noble, Boston Borough Council, Councillor Richard Fry, East Lindsey District Council, and Councillor Peter Coupland, South Holland District Council said:  “We have seen many articles by Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis, who supports this payment method and says it is the easiest, safest and securest way of paying your council tax and the quickest way of getting your rebate by April 2022.”

For those without direct debit, application forms will be issued “in the coming weeks” according to the three councils, with further details due “as the scheme is developed.

For more, visit:

East Lindsey District Council – https://www.e-lindsey.gov.uk/directdebit

South Holland District Council – https://www.sholland.gov.uk/directdebit

Boston Borough Council https://www.mybostonuk.com/council-tax/payyourbill/

Lincoln and North Kesteven

North Kesteven District Council and City of Lincoln Council’s Revenues and Benefits shared service said it is working hard on preparations to pay the rebate to eligible households.

The rebate will not show as a discount on households’ annual Council Tax bill. Residents should pay Council Tax as shown on their annual bill which will be sent out soon.

They said there was no need to make contact unless you have recently moved and have not registered for Council Tax yet, or you are moving to a new property on or before April 1, 2022.

When the rebate is available the direct debit details held for Council Tax will be used to help pay the £150 straight into bank accounts.

Those without direct debits will be contacted by the councils, and are asked not to call if their payment has not gone in within the first few weeks.

The team said it will take time to contact residents given the number of households it may apply to.

The team also warned it is not yet contacting bill payers to ask for bank details for the rebate.

They asked residents to check if anyone suspicious gets in touch before April 1, or if a third party offers to claim the rebate for them.

For more information visit:

City of Lincoln Council: https://www.lincoln.gov.uk/c/pay-council-tax-direct-debit to sign up for direct debits or https://www.lincoln.gov.uk/council-tax/council-tax-energy-rebate/1 for more information on rebates.

North Kesteven: https://www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/residents/council-tax-and-housing-benefit/pay-your-council-tax/ to sign up for direct debits or https://www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/residents/sustainability-what-can-you-do/rising-energy-bills-2022/council-tax-energy-rebate/ for more on rebates.

West Lindsey District Council

West Lindsey District Council is waiting for government guidance on how to administer the payment and funding for the discretionary scheme.

A leaflet will be going out with everyone’s council tax bill explaining how to get the rebate in West Lindsey.

Nova Roberts, assistant director for change management and regulatory services, at West Lindsey District Council, said the authority anticipated the payment would be made in April or May.

“The payments will be made via direct debit but we are currently in conversation with central government about how we can offer the payment to those who currently pay their Council Tax via a different method,” she said.

“In order to get the payment quickly, we would advise that residents sign up to pay their Council Tax via direct debit, which they can do by signing up via our website.”

For more information, and to keep an eye on the latest updates, visit https://www.west-lindsey.gov.uk/my-services/council-tax-and-council-bills/money-off-council-tax/council-tax-energy-rebate/