The Isle of Wight Council is continuing to make energy rebate payments to eligible Island residents as swiftly as possible.
The government is providing a £150 rebate to council taxpayers in bands A-D (and E if in receipt of disabled persons reduction) to help with rising energy costs. This is a one-off payment and will not have to be repaid.
The council has made a total of 43,413 payments equating to more than £6.5 million. Of these, 34,772 have been to those that pay by direct debit – 93% of direct debit account holders – and 8,641 to cash payers.
The letters sent out to people who pay by cash contain a unique code. This code enables the resident to complete a short application online so payment can be made.
If you pay by cash and have already made an application but have not yet received payment, you should receive a reply asking you to supply us with a copy of your bank statement to confirm account details — it does not need to show any of your transactions.
The Isle of Wight Council are asking for this evidence because central government requires the local authority to do fraud checking to ensure payments are made to the correct person. On some accounts, the names do not exactly match those of the party liable for council tax and these need to be manually verified with a bank statement.
If you receive this letter, you can either email a copy of your bank statement to [email protected], drop it at a council help centre or send it by post to Revenues Services, PO Box 238, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 9FP. If you have received this letter and have not yet made an application, visit https://www.iow.gov.uk/Residents/Benefits-Council-Tax-and-Business-Rates/Council-Tax-Services/Council-Tax/Energy-rebate.
Earlier this week the council launched a new discretionary scheme to assist those not eligible for an energy rebate under the main scheme. Eligible households in council tax bands E to H can apply for a discretionary payment of £150 to help with rising energy prices as part of the scheme.
Full details including how to apply can also be found at www.iow.gov.uk/Residents/Benefits-Council-Tax-and-Business-Rates/Council-Tax-Services/Council-Tax/Energy-rebate.
Many drug dealers etc pay by cash so will be reluctant to show any proof, as will those in other dubious cash working jobs.
Hence the Governments ploy to end the use of cash unless for trivial transaction where proof will need to be shown.
Too many now work doing nails, hair, massages, gardening, building work etc etc, yet claim benefits making them very well off.
HMG know this, and so are slowly closing the net.