Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
That £150 off your council tax? How to get it in Haringey?
This from Cllr Seema Chandawani:
WHO GETS IT?
- Everyone who is in a property that is in council tax band A-D and is liable for council tax will get the £150.
- Being ‘liable’ includes if you get a £0 bill because you get discounts or exemptions.
- It is not means tested. You get it if you’re a millionaire or if you’re on social security. It’s based purely on your council tax banding (don’t ask why I don’t have a clue why the government has done this).
HOW?
- If you are on Direct Debit you will be paid automatically *by* end of May into the same bank account you pay your council tax bill.
- You do not need to apply or do anything. Please do not call the council. Worry after May.
- The reason it’s by May is the Govt said we had to wait until you paid your April direct debit payment. This is to confirm you had not moved before 1st April. Some people have Direct Debit come out on 1st of the month and others 28th of month. So we are paying out in batches. There are 40,000 payments to households on Direct Debit - it’s a huge task.
WHAT IF I DONT PAY BY DIRECT DEBIT?
- Don’t worry there are 52,000 households who don’t pay by Direct Debit. Some it’s because they get 100% discount (ie many pensioners).
- In Haringey, we are writing to all liable council tax householders and sending them a voucher from the Post Office. You simply take this to the Post Office and cash it in or you follow instructions on the voucher to get it sent to your bank.
- The vouchers are being posted in batches so the Post Office queues are managed. The vouchers are going out by end of May, you could get it sooner.
- You do not need to apply. Please do not call the council as it’s randomly generated to spread across the borough so each Post Office can cope with demand. Worry in June if you don’t get it.
BUT I AM NOT LIABLE FOR COUNCIL TAX…
- You are liable even if you get a bill that has £0.00 on it.
- You may not be liable if you live in a shared flat and your council tax is part of your rent. The council once the Govt explains what to do, will tell you what to do.
I LIVE IN A BAND E-H PROPERTY
- You are not eligible for this payment but there is a discretionary fund for people in Band E+ which is still being worked through by Government. It is likely this will be means tested.
I'M IN COUNCIL TAX DEBT
- It does not matter, your £150 is for energy bills, we won’t keep it to pay against your Council Tax debt.
- However please call the Financial Support Team on 020 8489 4431 to speak to an advisor to see if you’re getting the right help for your council tax. Or call Citizens Advice on freephone 080 8278 7966 for independent advice.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Brian Mahoney on
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Regarding the 3rd dot point, please don't claim this rebate if you can afford not to. Remember, government money is needed to pay for government and council services, to pay for our armed forces and police to keep us safe and to fund the NHS. Its ludicrous that this isn't means tested.
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You actually believe the government will spend this money on public services? They've cut every one as a political decision as they are ideologically opposed to public services. With tax increases in the pipeline and huge additional costs as a direct result of government choices, everyone has a duty to ensure they receive this.
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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The money will probably stay in Haringey Council's coffers and they'll use it to replace signage.
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With the renaming of Black Boy Lane's total real cost likely to be close to £300,000 there could be a lot more support for energy poor people in Haringey if the council could get it's priorities right. I'm sure they'll find someone else to blame for it all.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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What has any local authority to do with the price of energy?
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Nothing. Who said they did? I said that the council would have more money to support the energy poor if they didn't go around blowing hundreds of thousands on renaming streets. Priorities. People and services first.
Money wasted on renaming streets or dropping millions on flawed property deals means there is less money to help the vulnerable in Haringey. The council can't then be taken seriously when they say the government won't give them enough money.
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Firstly the money for the £150 rebate and the discretionary fund is from central government. At the end of the year there will be a financial reconciliation and underspend will go back to the government and overspend left to each local authority to fund. Secondly I don’t imagine a local authority has the legal powers to give money to help those in fuel poverty. Happy to be corrected if anyone knows of legislation that will allow that
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Who has said the money doesn't come from the government? My point is that the council could do a lot to help families experiencing poverty as a result of the energy crisis or just generally if it didn't waste so money money elsewhere.
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In what way could do that? If it were even permitted for local authorities to spend money helping those in fuel poverty, those areas with the poorest populations would spend more than those with better off populations. As poorer populations are more likely to be in receipt of council tax benefits, the overall income from council tax would be hit hardest in areas with the least amount of council tax income.. Those councils would then have the option of raising council tax to cover the shortfall, making poorer people poorer, or reducing other services to pay for it. Either option leaves poorer residents with less.
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Permalink Reply by Zena Brabazon on
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Hi John
I was briefed on this today. This money is being administered by the local authority and will be going to everyone eligible as set out above. Huge efforts are being made to ensure it gets out to people in a timely manner and that people claim their energy rebate.
Zena
Zena Brabazon
Cllr, Harringay ward
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Phillip, people and companies pay tax
Government uses that money to provide services. The level and quality of those services is determined by the amount of money raised.
Overspending, wastage or lower tax revenue means that either those services are reduced or we borrow money to pay for it. That money is repaid with interest which reduces the amount of money available for services in future years.
Something like a global financial crisis (no, not caused by a Jewish cabal) reduces the amount of tax revenue plus increases the volume of services needed (because fewer people have jobs and or they spend less so income tax and VAT revenue goes down).
We almost recovered and then we had Covid. Billions were spent on PPE and furlough. We borrowed and will be repaying for years.
I'd rather the wealthy didn't claim the rebate so it can be given to those who really need it.
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