Discretionary Energy Rebate Payments 2022

This scheme has now closed.

The UK Government has provided funding for City of Lincoln Council to operate a Discretionary fund for households who are not otherwise eligible for the Mandatory Council Tax Energy Rebate and may be considered to be vulnerable.

The relevant date for this Scheme is 1st April 2022, and; 

  • This must have been your sole or main residence on 1st April 2022 
  • The property must have been occupied – second homes and empty properties are ineligible 
  • You must not have received, or been eligible for, a payment under the Mandatory Scheme. 
  • The property must be a chargeable dwelling, or exempt under classes N,S,U or W of the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings Order) 

We will make one payment of £150.00 to the household. A household is a person or persons who are in occupation of the property as their sole or main residence. 

We have identified the following customers as a priority for funding: 

  1. Customers in bands E-H who are in receipt of Council Tax Support
  2. Customers in bands F-H where their band has been reduced under the Disabled Band Scheme
  3. Customers in Bands E-H where all occupants are under 18 
  4. Customers in Bands E-H where either an occupier or all occupiers are classified as Severely Mentally Impaired for Council Tax purposes
  5. Customers occupying properties on 1st April 2022 with a provisional Council Tax band – their assessed band must be A-D and received by the Council before 30th November 2022
  6. Customers in bands A-D where the Council Tax is in the name of the Landlord and the tenant pays the energy bills
  7. Customers in Bands E-H who can evidence that they have Exceptional Financial Hardship and that their energy bills are a contributory factor
  8. Customers in Bands E-H where the Council Tax is in the name of the Landlord and the tenant pays the energy bills can apply under (6) above. This includes properties occupied by students if the student can evidence that they pay the energy bills

For customers in categories 1-4, we will pay these immediately, or as soon as possible if they pay by Direct Debit. Otherwise, we will write to them for bank details. They will be given an access key which must be used within 30 days. After the access key expires, we will take steps to add the Energy Rebate to the Council Tax account as soon as possible. 

For customers in category 5 – you will be considered at the end of the scheme but before categories 6,7 and 8.  We will write to category 5 customers with an access key which must be used within 30 days. After the access key expires, we will take steps to add the Energy Rebate to the Council Tax account as soon as possible. 

For customers in category 6, as you are not liable for Council Tax, we will write to ‘the Occupier’. We will assume an application is made on behalf of the household and will not enter into disputes between tenants about who should receive the payment.

You will have to evidence that you were in occupation of the property on 1st April 2022 and that the energy bills were in your name. 

For customers in categories 7 and 8, these will be by an ‘open application’ system  as we are unable to identify customers in these categories from our Council Tax systems. Please watch our websites and social media for the application pages. 
Categories 5-8 will be awarded, where possible, after the closing date of the scheme. 

We expect this scheme to be oversubscribed and therefore an application does not guarantee that you will receive a payment.

The closing date for this scheme is 15 October 2022.