Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils offer £150 rebates to aid with the cost of living

Rebates of £150 to cover energy bills are available to those struggling with the cost of living, a council has said.

Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils have urged residents to check whether they are eligible to receive the help they are entitled to.

The Council Tax Energy Rebate provides a £150 payment to households in council tax bands A-D.

Back in February, the Government announced measures to help protect millions in households from rising energy costs.

Many such schemes have since been implemented across the UK.

Councillor John Ward, leader of Babergh District Council, said: “We know how tight things are for people right now – and household budgets are set to be squeezed further over coming months.

"We are here to help our residents and communities and want to ensure people understand the range of support available and how to access it."

The council has made payments to more than 66,000 households within these bands, with plans to pay remaining claimants.

He added: "Combating the cost of living is one of our top priorities, so I urge anyone who thinks they may be entitled to this help to check our website for more information.”

The authority said the programme has been expanded and the discretionary scheme will offer up to £150 to those who are not eligible for the main scheme, but who still need help with rising costs.

The discretionary element of the Council Tax Energy Rebate is open to people in different council tax bands who may be paying rent and energy bills but are not liable for council tax such as those in a house of multiple occupation (HMO), those in receipt of Universal Credit or Housing Benefit, those in receipt of Council Tax Reduction, or other exceptions.

Applications for this funding close on September 4.

Other measures designed to help those in need include a Council Tax Reduction housing benefit for low-income households.

This could see the bill slashed by as much as 95% and can be claimed even if they are employed.

These appear on council tax bills and reduce the amount you have to pay.

Using an online calculator supplied by the council, residents could check whether these cuts apply to them.

There is also a £170,000 Household Support Fund (HSF), split between both councils, that could help those struggling meet the costs of their household needs such as food or essential goods like school uniforms or energy bills.

Cllr Suzie Morley, leader of Mid Suffolk District Council, said: “The wellbeing of our communities and residents is of the utmost importance, which is why we have these schemes in place, with many of them being paid directly to households.

"The HSF and Council Tax Reduction are fantastic resources which let us reach those in our districts with support where other nationwide funds might not."

She added: “Making sure everyone can afford to live and work in our districts is front of mind for the councils, and we are working to ensure we can tackle the cost of living both now and in the coming months and years.”

Additional national schemes are expected to come into effect during the winter.

These include a £400 energy bills support payment, paid over six months, to all households with a domestic electricity meter, starting from October 2022.

Those with pre-payment metres will have the money applied to their meter or paid via a voucher.

There is also a £600 payment for households claiming Universal Credit or jobseekers allowance, a £300 pension claim and a £150 cost of living payment for those claiming disability allowance.