People living in Birmingham have just weeks to apply for the £150 council tax rebate if they don't have a direct debit set up with the council. Birmingham City Council has been allocated just over £60million to deliver the rebates to those in council tax bands A to D.
The council says payments for households on direct debit have now all been processed and will appear in the same bank account from which your council tax is normally paid as coming from 'B'ham City Council'. Those who don't have a debit on the council's database will need to put in a claim for their £150.
People only have a few weeks left to apply for the cash or it may end up just being knocked off their council tax bill. The authority said: "Eligible households will have until July 31, 2022, to submit payment details, if we don’t hear from you by this date we will arrange for the rebate to be credited to your council tax bill. You can either supply your bank account details so we can make a payment directly into your bank account or ask for the rebate to be credited against your council tax bill."
It confirmed: "With the exception of those accounts where a query has been identified in relation to the property, liable party or where the direct debit instalment on the council tax bill hasn’t cleared, payments for households on direct debit have been processed. We will contact you if we have not been able to verify your payment details.
"If your direct debit form was sent after May 4, 2022, we cannot make an automatic payment. In addition, if we have not been able to verify your bank account as the direct debit instalment on your council tax account hasn’t been made in April or May, you will need to submit an application to notify us of your payment details using the grants approval website."
Council officials said those who do not provide their information via this grants approval website before the July 31 deadline will instead get the £150 knocked off their council tax bill. The first step is to register to create an account and then you will be able to submit an application for either a payment to your bank account or a credit against your council tax bill.
Before you start you will need to have the following:
It said: "We will process your application and make the payment once the details have been verified. You will be able to check the progress of your application by logging into your account. We are aiming to make payments as quickly as possible. Please do not contact us to chase payment as further updates will be given on progress."
Householders who are vulnerable and need help completing their online form should call 0121 303 1113 to arrange an appointment.
Council officials cautioned people not to go to other web links offering to process the council tax rebate as this is likely to be a scam. It said: "Criminals may pose as a government department or local authority in order to gain access to sensitive personal information including your banking information. Our officers will not ask you to supply your details in an email, by telephone call or text.
"The Grant Approval website has been set up as a secure way of submitting your details and should only be accessed via the above links."
