Cost of living crisis: Deadline approaching for Leeds households to apply for council tax rebate

Residents who pay their council tax by direct debit receive their rebate automatically but specific applications are required for those who do not pay in this manner.

Figures show two thirds of the 120,000 households in Leeds which do not use direct debit for their council tax payments have not yet applied, even though the deadline is 5pm on 24 June.

Leeds City Council are encouraging people to submit their rebate requests as soon as possible.

Councillor Debra Coupar, Leeds City Council’s executive member for resources, said: “The council wants to do everything it can to make sure residents in communities across Leeds benefit from this scheme at the earliest opportunity.

“We are therefore keen to hear from any non-direct debit customers who wish to receive the rebate but have not yet submitted their application. The deadline is at the end of next week, so time is of the essence.”

The rebates are available as part of the government's response to rising energy bills and they can be accessed by households in council tax bands A to D.

Guidelines produced by the government state that payments must be made by the end of September, therefore the June deadline has been set to give the council time to ensure guidelines are adhered to.

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Those who miss the deadline will either be given a voucher which can be redeemed at a post office or will have £150 credited to their council tax accounts.

However, Leeds City Council have stressed that people who apply before the deadline will be given their rebate more quickly.

The expected turnaround time for applications is estimated by the council to be at six weeks, and applications can be made online or by visiting one of the council's community hubs.

Help and advice regarding council tax payments is available here.