Information from Bassetlaw DC about Energy rebate payments

Energy Rebate Payments- Urgent Informa4on and FAQs

The Energy Rebate was announced by Rishi Sunak in February and local billing authori9es were instructed to use their Council Tax database to iden9fy households that were eligible, i.e. those occupied proper9es in band A to D. The Energy Rebate payment is a payment using informa9on extracted from the Council Tax database only, and not a Council Tax discount as some have portrayed it.

Councils were also told in the guidance, published later in March, to verify the payee bank account and that it matches that of the liable bill payer. We have approximately 46,600 households that meet the criteria. We only hold the bank details of 2/3rds of those (those that pay by direct debit) because the rest pay cash.

The only way we can verify that the account number and bill payer is s9ll up to date is to let the April Direct Debit instalment clear. This was part of the guidance issued by the Government. For the rest we have a huge paper exercise of wri9ng to them all asking for bank details and then checking them to prevent fraud etc. A payment will be made to these households as soon as they respond and pass the verifica9on checks. Some residents may not respond as they will be understandably cau9ous about providing their bank details. The soPware will provide a code to use on-line for security.

Are you able to outline a 4me frame please?

All those that pay their April Council tax instalment by direct debit will get their £150 payment in May. There is no delay with these.

The rest, will depend on how quickly they respond with their bank details and how quickly we can run them through the verifica9on soPware being provided. They will be paid as soon as possible aPer this process is completed.

The September date is the date the scheme closes, not the date payments are being delayed to and I think the press ar9cles have misinterpreted this.

If someone was relying on this to help pay council tax bills, will the council be able to offer support in the short term?

The Council s9ll has a discre9onary hardship scheme that can give short term help for those suffering excep9onal hardship in paying Council tax (or rent). Details are on the website with a claim form. hXps://www.bassetlaw.gov.uk/benefits/council-tax-reduc9on-scheme/council-tax-discre9onary- fund-policy/

A BDC release last month said payments would be made from May-September. What is the reasoning for payments poten4ally taking un4l September?

Payments will be made as soon as bank details are verified (most will be May). 30th September is merely the closing date of the Government Scheme and therefore the deadline for ge[ng bank details verified for those where we do not hold bank details.

Were the soLware problems already apparent, or is there another reason?

There are no soPware problems as such, it is just that the only soPware the Government is providing is the bank account verifica9on soPware (Spotlight). Therefore, to extract details from the Council tax database, verify the bill payer matches the account, that the property is occupied and other criteria set by the Government, as well as check a payment hasn’t already been made, required new soPware to be wriXen by NEC, our soPware provider.

They couldn’t start this un9l the Government Guidance was out which was finalised in March. We now have to load and test it during April. It would have been impossible to make payments early in April without the new soPware.

We are also having to recruit an agency worker as this is work on top of the already increased workload at this 9me of year, due to the annual bills going out. Two senior officers have been

diverted on to tes9ng, which will delay other work. Also, the funding arrived from the Government on 30th March, but we are s9ll wai9ng for no9ce of how much administra9on grant we will get to cover costs. However, this is not delaying the work.