Residents urged to apply for energy costs funding

Scarborough Council has urged residents to apply for funding from the £150 energy rebate scheme before it closes at the end of this month, amid calls for extra support through the winter months.

As of mid-August, the council had made more than 43,000 payments of £150 to help with residents’ rising energy bills, totalling more than £6.5m of support.

At a meeting of Scarborough Council on September 5, members urged the public to make sure they have applied for funding from the rebate scheme which closes on September 30.

As part of the scheme, households in council tax bands A to D can apply for a one-off £150 rebate payment.

The Government has also earmarked £144m for a discretionary fund for local authorities to give to vulnerable residents and those with low incomes who did not qualify for the initial rebate scheme.

The council said it would inform eligible households in bands E to H by letter and invite residents to apply for the scheme.

Applications for the energy rebate funding can be submitted via the council’s website.

In order to apply, an account must be set up on the council’s page using an email address and creating a password. A bank account number, sort code and the property reference number from the most recent council tax bill is also needed.

Speaking at the council meeting on September 5, Cllr Bill Chatt called for more support and resources for older people in the borough and suggested organising events where people can “have a natter” in a warm space.

Cllr Carl Maw added: “It is not just going to be old people or people with disabilities, it is going to be people on middle incomes who thought that they would be averse to to this sort of thing.

“Hopefully, with a new prime minister coming in, some new measures will be announced to help other members of the population, not just the most vulnerable.”

On September 8, Prime Minister Liz Truss announced her £150bn scheme for freezing annual energy bills at around £2,500.

Scarborough Council has set up a working group with the aim of publicising available benefits and how to apply for them.