Thousands of Shropshire households could miss out on £150 to help with energy costs

The Government help with soaring energy bills Government will be given in the form of a £150 council tax rebate to those in bands A-D.

However, only those who pay their bills by direct debit will automatically benefit.

There are 114,057 properties in Shropshire in bands A-D Office with the Government Office for Budget Responsibility, Economic and Fiscal Outlook estimating that around a third do not have their council tax bill by direct debit. Of these, around 80 per cent are expected to apply for the rebate, the watchdog says.

It leaves around 7,539 families in Shropshire liable to miss out on the £150 support.

Local Liberal Democrats are demanding that the Government fully funds councils to help them process the scheme and, as a last resort, be prepared to post a £150 cheque to each eligible household in Shropshire that doesn't receive the council tax rebate, to ensure no-one misses out.

North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan said: “It is staggering that thousands of families across Shropshire could miss out because of this Conservative Government’s half-baked plans. I worry for those who are older and less well off who are likely to be disproportionately impacted by this because they don't pay their council tax by direct debit.

“People are facing sky-rocketing bills and plummeting living standards, but it looks like even the meagre support on offer might not reach those who need it most in Shropshire.

“The council must work with the Government to ensure that every eligible household in our area benefits from this rebate, by hook or by crook.

"No-one should go without the help they need."

She urged individual households who don't pay by direct debit to ensure that they claimed their rebate.

Nationally the government watchdog believes that around seven per cent of the total £2.9 billion of funding for the scheme will not be paid out to eligible households, amounting to savings of £195 million. That is equivalent to 1.3 million families missing out on the £150 per council tax rebate.