Millions of pensioners set to miss out on £150 council tax rebate | Personal Finance | Finance
However, according to research carried out by Age UK, 4.3 million households in England who will not be eligible for the council tax rebate because they live in properties with tax bands E to H. Of this wider group of people, an estimated 2.1 million households include at least one person aged 60 or over. Experts are warning that the current payment rate for the state pension will not be enough to compensate for the loss of the council tax rebate.
Caroline Abrahams, the charity director at Age UK, emphasised how currently ineligible pensioners are set to lose out if they do not claim this support.
Mr Abhahams said: “It was already clear that the support announced by the Government last month was insufficient to protect older people on low and modest incomes from the impact of inflationary price rises.
“Now, deepening our concerns, our new analysis shows that one in five of the older population who are already hard-pressed are set to miss out on the £150 council tax rebate.
“The Government must do more to help them by expanding eligibility for the rebate scheme, or through some other mechanism that puts additional cash into their hands.”
READ MORE: State pension to hit £10,340 as triple lock saved – some get less
Specifically, Ms Abrhams took aim at the Government’s decision to freeze the triple lock on state pensions which means payments are only set to rise by 3.1 percent.
She added: “The Chancellor paused the triple lock guarantee to the state pension this year on the basis that the increase in average earnings at the time was a temporary blip due to the pandemic.
“Since then, prices have soared so next month’s planned 3.1 percent increase is only a drop in the ocean compared to the sharp rises in energy and other costs confronting us all.
“As things stand, at Age UK we simply cannot see how older people who have no other sources of income besides their state pension and benefits will be able to pay the higher prices they face.
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“Those with few if any savings are out of options and their only hope now is that the Government will recognise their difficulties and extend a helping hand.”
Households in bands A to D will be able to claim a discount worth £150 on their council tax bill through the Government’s rebate.
Every Briton in these tax brackets make up 80 percent of all people in the country, according to Government statistics.
People will not need to make applications for this support as the rebate will be automatically given to eligible households.
If someone pays their council tax via direct debit, the rebate will likely be sent straight to their account.
If someone does not pay off their tax bill via this payment method, their local council will get in touch to address how the rebate will be delivered.
Pension Credit claimants may be able to get a council tax reduction if they receive the guarantee part of the payment.
The Council Tax Discretionary Relief (CTDR) is also available for those who are unable to pay their bill due to exceptional circumstances and claim the council tax reduction.
