Number of Cheshire West households waiting for council tax rebate

Earlier this year, the Government announced every household in council tax bands A to D would receive a £150 rebate, as part of a wider package of support to help with the cost-of-living crisis.

These payments started landing in people's bank accounts in April – but figures from Cheshire West Council shows just over five per cent of the 121,075 eligible households in Cheshire West and Chester were yet to receive the payment as of September 6.

A spokesperson for Cheshire West and Chester Council said: “Cheshire West and Chester Council received funding from the Government of £18,741,300 which is enough to make 124,942 payments.

“The council identified 121,075 qualifying properties and has been able to issue a rebate to 114,774 (94.80 per cent) equating to £17.225m.

“The council continues to promote the scheme, encouraging residents to provide their bank details to enable a payment to be made before the deadline of September 30.

“There is also a discretionary scheme from which the council received £623,850 to support residents and has made payments to 12,942 households totalling £495,000.”

Payment has generally happened automatically for those who pay their council tax bills by direct debit.

But it could take longer to reach council taxpayers without direct debit arrangements, as local authorities need to attempt to contact them about the rebate scheme and carry out checks, the Local Government Association said earlier this year.

Anyone yet to obtain the payment should check their council’s website and make a claim by the end of September.

The Government has also pledged £144m in 'discretionary funds' to help those not covered by the main rebate scheme, or to provide further support to those who are – such as those who have a council tax reductions due to a disability, but do not live in a band A to D property.