Decision Maker: Exchequer Services Manager
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
On 3 February 2022 as part of its support for
rising fuel prices the Government announced a £150 Energy
Rebate Payment for most households in Council Tax Bands A to D. The
Government also announced a Discretionary Energy Rebate Scheme of
up to £150.
Each Council must determine its own Discretionary Energy Rebate
Scheme within some national guidelines. Guildford Borough Council
has been allocated £235,500. This will provide 1,570 payments
of £150.00. The fund will not be topped up. All payments must
be made by 30 November 2022. Any remaining funds must be repaid to
the government.
The full scheme will be published online and contains information
on applications and fraud and error.
The key decision within the scheme concerns distribution of the
funds.
Strand 1: £150 to Council Tax payers in properties banded E,
F, G or H, meeting at least one of the following criteria on 1
April 2022.
•In receipt of Local Council Tax Support
•In receipt of a disabled band reduction (NB band E is in the
main scheme)
•With either a carers or severely mentally impaired
disregard
•With a severely mentally impaired exemption
•In receipt of housing benefit for a working age
taxpayer.
Strand 2: Up to £150 to Council Tax payers in properties
banded E, F, G or H on 1 April 2022, meeting at least one of the
following criteria during the period 1 April 2022 to 30 June 2022.
A full application to be made by 31 July 2022.
The Council Tax payer or partner is in receipt of any of the
following benefits:
•Universal Credit
•Housing Benefit
•Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance
•Income-related Employment Support Allowance
•Income Support
•Pension Credit
•Child Tax Credit
•Working Tax Credit
•Disability Living Allowance Care Element, any rate
•Disability Living Allowance Mobility Element, any rate
•Personal Independence Payment Daily Living Component, any
rate
•Personal Independence Payment Mobility Component, any
rate
•Attendance Allowance
•New Style Employment Support Allowance
•War Pension
•Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.
•Industrial Injuries Benefit.
•Carers Allowance
Strand 3: any funds remain following the allocation of Strand 2
payments, discretionary hardship energy payments will be considered
from other residents. Further details will be published on the
website in August 2022.
The government expects Billing Authorities to
create a local discretionary energy rebate scheme to help those
falling outside the mandatory scheme. We have been allocated some
initial administration funds for both schemes, with no certainty of
getting more.
In making the decision we have considered the cost of
administration.
Strand 1 is based on information available to us, which means we
can minimise the administration. It targets funds at residents in
higher bands on low incomes or with a disability within the
household which may mean a higher consumption of energy.
We are aware that Strand 1 excludes residents on DWP benefits such
as universal credit. We do not hold this information and do not
know how many people may apply. To control this element Strand 2
has a closing date. Awards will be up to £150, as the fund
will be divided by the successful applicants and capped at
£150. We cannot avoid the need to assess these applications
to ensure that public funds get to those who need them. Until we
see how many applications we get we will not know how much the
administration will cost.
In the event that funds remain after Strand 2 we will run a third
Strand.
Whilst not adopting the scheme is in theory an
option, the expectation of both the government and residents is
that we will provide the rebate.
The finite funds, timescale for delivery and administrative
overheads limit the options available. Anything that opens
applications up to a wider pool – for example anyone facing
financial difficulty including those not on benefits – will
result in a scheme that cannot be administered within these
constraints.
Publication date: 28/06/2022
Date of decision: 28/06/2022