Bristol households urged to apply for £150 council tax rebate

There are thousands of Bristol households that have not  applied to receive the £150 council tax rebate.

Most households in Bristol that pay their council tax via direct debit will have already automatically received this and don’t need to apply.

Those who do need to apply are Bristol households that pay by a different method, don’t pay council tax due to exemption or being on the council tax reduction scheme, or whose direct debit bank details didn’t match the council tax account. If these people have not applied by Wednesday 31 August, they will still receive the rebate but instead of a lump sum will have their council tax account credited, with the £150 being distributed across the remaining instalments for the year. Those who have no council tax to pay will receive a Post Office voucher to claim the £150 payment. Filling out the online form is the quickest way for residents to receive their money.

Around 181,000 council tax account holders in Bristol were eligible for the payment as they live in properties in council tax bands A to D. Despite letters going to those households that still need to apply, approximately  40,000 have still not put a application in.

Bank details taken as part of the application will only be used to pay the £150 rebate and will not be used for future payments of council tax, unless requested.

Councillor Craig Cheney, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for City Economy, Finance and Performance, said: “I am really pleased to say that we have already successfully paid over 141,000 households their £150 but there are still a lot of people we need to reach.

“The rising cost of living is affecting everybody in the city and I know that £150 will make a significant difference to many people so we want to ensure that those residents who are eligible have the opportunity to apply for it.

“We’re conscious that these remaining people may include those who are most in need but do not have the means to apply or who are not yet aware of it. If you know someone who is eligible please encourage them to apply. If they can’t use the internet they can call our Citizen Service Centre on 0117 922 2900 or someone else can do it on their behalf, provided they have the correct council tax account number and the person’s bank details, unless they want it credited to their council tax account.”

To apply for your £150 council tax rebate please complete the form on the Bristol City Council website or call the Citizen Service Centre for help on 0117 922 2900. If you experience any issues with the form, including bank details not being accepted or being told you are not eligible, please call the Citizen Service Centre.

Cllr Cheney added: “If you are struggling with the rising cost of living, please reach out. There is advice, support and information available across Bristol. Our city will do all we can to support you.”

Applications for a discretionary scheme have just been opened for those Bristol residents who are not eligible for the £150 payment. All payments for the discretionary scheme have to be made by the council before the end of November 2022 but residents are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Households can apply if, on 1 April 2022, they were living in either:

• a property in bands E to H and are of state pension age OR living in shared accommodation or a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO), or
• a property in bands A to D in shared accommodation or HMO and their landlord is liable for the council tax on their home

Only one application can be made per household. Where more than one person in a household applies, the recipient will be:

• the person liable for council tax, or
• the person who pays the energy bill, if the liability for council tax is in more than one name, or
• the first member of the household to apply when the energy bill is in multiple names or there is a pre-payment meter. The recipient will receive the payment on behalf of the household.

For full eligibility criteria and to apply for the discretionary fund, visit the Bristol City Council website. People are advised to ensure they complete the correct application form, based on their circumstances, to ensure fast payment. Residents will need to provide evidence, including council tax account number, photo ID and proof of address.

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