Council hand out over £5m in £150 tax rebate payments

Breckland Council are encouraging people in the district to check their bank accounts over the next few days to check their £150 council tax rebate has come through.

The Council Tax rebate scheme was announced by the government in February this year providing eligible households in council bands A - D with a one-off payment.

However, the council is only able to automatically process payments for people who paid their council tax by direct debit before 25 April 2022 and where their bank account details match those held on the Council Tax account.

People who pay council tax in a different way will instead receive the £150 as a reduction to their future council tax bills.

Phil Cowen, Breckland Council’s executive member for finance, revenue and benefits, said: “Processing the £150 Council Tax rebate grants for all our residents has been a huge undertaking involving millions of pounds.

"I’d like to thank the staff across the council and at the partnership for helping to get this important money to our residents as quickly as possible.

“More than 30,000 households will automatically be receiving their payments within the next few days and I urge non-direct debit payers to look out for their letter over the next couple of weeks.”

Councils across the county will be issuing rebates to people over the coming days although some councils have warned payments could be delayed.

Great Yarmouth and North Norfolk councils have both said it could take until early May for the payments to be made.

The tax rebate will be welcome news for many with soaring inflation and rising energy prices pushing living costs up by hundreds of pounds per year.

Our recent survey of 2,500 households in Norfolk and Waveney showed many have been affected by the steep rises in the cost of living.

However council tax bills have also increased this year across the county, ranging from a rise of £44 for band B properties and £30 for band A.