Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to his Department’s guidance on the Council Tax Energy Rebate, published on 16th March 2022 which states that councils can use the discretionary fund to offer carefully targeted 'top-up' payments to the most vulnerable households in bands A to D, or to offer discretionary support exceeding £150, whether there is an upper limit to the amount that can be paid from that fund to any one household.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Department has not set an upper limit to the amount that can be paid from the discretionary fund to any one household.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the guidance entitled Support for energy bills - the council tax rebate 2022-23: billing authority guidance, published on 16 March 2022, whether the requirement that payment methods other than BACS are acceptable would require councils to make payments in cash.
Answered by Paul Scully
Councils should not normally make payments in cash. Where, exceptionally, a cash payment is considered appropriate, councils should satisfy themselves that the person receiving the money is entitled to payment and keep an appropriate audit trail.