The £150 Council Tax energy payment is available to all eligible households in Council Tax Bands A to D, and Band E where there is a disabled Band reduction.
Payments update
88% of all eligible Bedford Borough households, have now received payment.
Direct Debit payers - have been paid, apart from a small number of households where the name on the bank account and Council Tax bill is not the same.
Non direct Debit payers - the Council are now processing applications and making payments. It takes approximately 2 weeks to process the form before payment can be received. Please take care to enter your bank details correctly.
Outstanding queries - for approximately 1,800 applications (3%) we require more information to complete the process and those households have been contacted. We are dealing with hundreds of queries each day and emails to the 150energy@bedford.gov.uk may take up to 2 weeks to respond to. Emails with information to process a case are being prioritised.
Around 5,300 households - 9% of households eligible for this payment - do not pay by direct debit and have not yet completed the online form. Reminder letters, with the access code, have been sent to those households.
Households who do not complete the application will have their Council Tax account credited in September 2022.
Direct Debit
If you pay your Council Tax by Direct Debit you will receive your payment automatically.
There are a small number of households whose names on the Council Tax register are not the same as the name on the Direct Debit bank account. Where this is the case, the Government guidance states that automatic payment cannot be made. You have been written to asking for more information.
Non Direct Debit payers
To complete the form you need an access code.
The access code has been automatically generated and sent to each household, who is deemed eligible.
Applicants who signed up to paperless billing have been sent their access codes by email (please check your junk email as your code might have arrived here).
Applicants who have not signed up to paperless billing have been sent their access code in the post.
The codes were sent automatically. If you have not received the code please contact 150energy@bedford.gov.uk You cannot receive your access code over the phone from Customer Services - it is a 2-step identification process to prevent fraud.
Non Direct Debit payers apply here
Once the form is completed it will take approximately 2 weeks for you to receive your energy payment.
Non Direct Debit payers without a computer
People without access to a computer are encouraged to use the computers at a library or to call the Customer Service Centre on 01234 267422.
Scams
We are aware of scams, pretending to be from councils offering this payment, using emails and cold calling to ask for bank details. Bedford Borough residents should only use the Bedford Borough Council website to apply for the payment/or contact the 150energy@bedford.gov.uk email address with information. We will not cold call or text about the refund.
Who is eligible?
Households living in a property valued in Council Tax Bands A to D as their main home will be eligible for a £150 Council Tax payment. This includes properties in Band E that have an alternative valuation band of Band D, as a result of the disabled band reduction scheme.
Properties are eligible if:
- It is someone’s sole or main residence
- It is a chargeable dwelling, or the property is:
- occupied only by full-time students
- occupied only by under 18 year olds
- occupied only by a person or persons who is or are severely mentally impaired who would be liable to pay the Council Tax
- an annexe attached to or within the grounds of another property, where the annexe is occupied by a dependent relative of a person who lives in the other part of the property
Properties that are ineligible include:
- Second homes
- Empty homes
- Most exempt homes
- Households where the person who is liable to pay the Council Tax is a corporate body
If you don’t know which band your property is in, you can find it on your latest Council Tax bill or check your Council Tax band online.
Does this mean I don’t have to pay my Council Tax bill?
No – you must continue to pay your Council Tax bill by the amounts and on the dates shown on your bill. If you are struggling to pay, please visit our help with the cost of living page.
Where can I find out more information?
More information about the £150 Council Tax energy payment, as well as other ways the government is helping with rising energy costs, is available on the GOV.UK website - help with rising energy costs.
I’m not in Bands A to D, but I still need help
There will be some further funding available to help households who do not qualify under the main scheme, please visit our help with the cost of living page for further details on the support available.
If false information is provided or false representation is made in order to benefit from the Council Tax payment or Discretionary Fund you may be guilty of fraud under the Fraud Act 2006.
Other FAQs
Please go to this page to see our frequently asked questions about the £150 energy payment.
