Martin Lewis Show: Money Saving Expert explains how 300,000 Britons could be missing out on £150
The government has extended the deadline for the final time
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Your support makes all the difference.Martin Lewis explained how more than 300,000 Britons could claim £150 in cost of living support.
Speaking on his ITV show on Tuesday night, the Money Saving Expert founder said some households were at risk of missing out on the cash if they did not claim before the deadline.
In April, it was announced that the £150 council tax payment had been left unclaimed by many and is now on course to expire with around 300,000 households yet to claim the relief as the 30 November deadline draws near.
All households in council tax bands A to D can get the grant, with those who pay by direct debit already receiving the money automatically earlier this year.
However, people who do not pay by direct debit need to make a claim to get the funds.
Ministers extended the deadline to apply, from 30 September to 30 November, but the government has said there are no plans for further extensions.
The council tax rebate scheme was launched in February to help families hit by soaring energy bills.
The money will be particularly important now as energy bills have risen since the start of October.
The Energy Price Guarantee limited the amount that can be charged per unit of energy, but bills are still expected to rise to £2,500 a year based on typical use and could be more for larger households that use more energy.
Britons can call their local council or check their website to find out how to apply for the rebate.
The call comes as Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced last month that then-prime minister Liz Truss’s promise to keep Britons’ household energy bills under control for two years had been ditched – as he confirmed support can only be guaranteed until April 2023.
He said the government would “review” the two-year cap on the unit price of energy to keep annual household gas and electricity bills at no more than £2,500.
Mr Hunt said the price guarantee had been “the biggest single expense in the growth plan”, suggesting the Treasury wanted to end universal support for all Britons after six months. The chancellor said that beyond April “the prime minister and I have agreed it would not be responsible to continue exposing public finances to unlimited volatility in international gas prices”.
Britons will now look to the fiscal statement on 17 November to find out whether a Rishi Sunak-led government will keep Mr Hunt’s cut or restore the freeze.
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