Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced all households in bands A to D will receive a council tax rebate of £150 to help pay for rising energy bills. However, new figures show millions of pensioners are missing out.
While pensioners are one of the groups hardest hit by the cost of living crisis, figures show millions of them will be losing out.
Some 4.5 million households will not be eligible for the £150 council tax rebate, according to Age UK.
This is despite the fact 21 percent of pensioners who don’t qualify are living in poverty and struggling to pay for their energy bills.
Ofgem said things are only going to get worse with the average bill estimated to top £2,800 by the end of the year.
The news has caused fury among Britons who have been taking to Express.co.uk to vent their anger.
One Express.co.uk reader, Grandma Protester wrote: “The £150 allowance is very unfair because it is based not on your income but whether you live in an urban area or rurally.
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“In rural areas similar properties are likely to fall into a higher band but salaries on the whole are lower than those in conurbations.”
Meanwhile, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced more financial support is on its way to help the most vulnerable in society.
Around eight million Britons will receive a one-off £650 payment, while four million who aren’t on means tested benefits can expect £400 to help pay increasing energy bills.
A Government spokesman said: “We recognise the pressures people are facing with the cost of living, which is why we announced last month £9.1billion to support the majority of households with their energy bills.
“The energy price cap continues to insulate millions of customers from volatile global gas prices, which is on top of existing schemes targeted at vulnerable and low-income households.”
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He continued: “There is significant volatility in the wholesale price of gas but as we have said, the Government will continue to monitor developments and the consequences for the cost of living, and will be ready to take further steps to support households if needed.”
Many councils confirmed they will be paying out this month with people who pay by direct debit receiving the money first.
Anyone who doesn’t pay by direct debit might have to wait for a cheque but should go onto their local council website to find out.
Councils have until September to issue the refunds but many people will be hoping they receive the money much sooner.
Anyone who lives in a property in bands E, F, G and H won’t receive the £150 council tax rebate.
However, they may still be able to apply for help as part of the Household Support Fund which has been set up to help people who are struggling.
Rishi Sunak announced the scheme would be extended from October 2022 to March 2023 and invested an extra £500million bringing the total available to £1.5billion.
Councils have their own criteria so it’s worth getting in touch to find out more.
Meanwhile, Britons are also being warned not to fall for a council tax refund scam doing the rounds.
Scammers are taking advantage of the cost of living crisis by calling people and pretending to be from the council.
Councils would never cold call someone to ask for their bank details over the phone.
They can report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
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