Birmingham City Council Tax Energy Rebate Scheme: Support for more homes, how to apply

Birmingham City Council is set to support homes previously not eligible for a Council Tax rebate to cope with the cost of living crisis.

So far, households in Band A-D homes received £150 as rebate. Now, homes in Council Tax Bands E-H who are in receipt of the Council Tax support benefit and pensioners and students in Bands A-D will also receive a rebate through the local authority.

Birmingham City Council is set to make a £150 payment to 1,400 citizens in receipt of Council Tax Support in bands E-H who didn’t qualify under the standard scheme. A further top up of £90 will also be made to around 500 pensioners in Bands E-H.

The payment to pensioners is in addition to £5.1million that has already been paid out to 34,000 elderly residents in receipt of Council Tax Support under the £150 main energy rebate scheme.

The latest support to those in bands E-H and pensioners and students in Bands A-D is based on the discretionary element of the Council Tax Energy Rebate Scheme. In March 2022, the government had announced a £15 billion support package for rising energy bills with three elements in it. This included a £400 grant for all domestic energy customers, a £150 non-repayable Council Tax Rebate for households in England in council tax bands A-D, and discretionary funding for billing authorities to support any household in need, including those not in bands A-D.

Why is this support available now?

Birmingham received £3.6million from the Discretionary Fund, which is 2.5% of the fund, and the council will distribute that money to people in need of support beyond the core scheme, which means those in households in Council tax band E-H receiving benefits.

An additional £3.1million was allocated to pensioners under the discretionary scheme in the form of a £90 top up, of which, £1.9million has already been paid out to 21,700 households via Post Office vouchers.

How to receive the rebate?

Eligible citizens can now apply for rebate under the discretionary scheme. Automatic payments are already underway where bank details are known for those who are due to receive the extra money.

Council Tax accounts will be credited with the award where no applications are made and bank details are not available.

You can read more about the scheme on the council’s website: Birmingham City Council.

What did the council say?

Cllr Yvonne Mosquito, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources at Birmingham City Council, said: “The cost of living crisis is affecting people in all parts of the city, living in all types of properties.

“Through our discretionary scheme we have tried to help some of the most vulnerable – regardless of where they live – who are most likely to be those impacted most by rising energy prices and inflation in general.

“This will not solve all problems and issues being faced by people struggling to make ends meet but it is a way in which we have been able to shape the support that is available at a local level for Birmingham residents.”

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