£150 Council Tax Energy Rebate for Bands A - D

[Alsatian]

Despite several other councils having already sent this money to householders, Chesterfield Borough Council are still saying that they are waiting for the necessary software to be installed on their systems.
In an article in the Derbyshire Times, they're hoping to start in first two weeks of May. This article was published this week and we're now at the end of that period - and we haven't received it.
I appreciate that it's a huge job to get it sorted, but how come other councils (including Bolsover) have managed it? I'm sure the council wouldn't be this lenient/patient if we made a similar excuse in the payment of our council tax.
Apparently Boris has given all councils a deadline of September this year to have completed the task. This isn't helping the people that are in desperate need on this payment.
Here's (hopefully) a link to the article:

https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/news/politics/update-given-on-chesterfield-ps150-council-tax-energy-rebate-as-it-system-changes-needed-3693806

[Alsatian]

A government safeguarding minister - Rachel Maclean - has suggested that people struggling with the cost of living should "work more hours, or get a better job".7

That just shows how out of touch this government is!! 🤬

Also how are we pensioners supposed to increase our income? I have said on many occasions that the proposed benefits to ease the burden are either pure fiction, or only of benefit to the workers.

Proposal 1: Car MOT tests to be once every two years - this will only help drivers, and c£45 saving over a year - that's of little help, especially when, in an effort to recoup some of the loss, garages will stop discounting the cost of a tast and start charging the recommended fee (c£50?).

Proposal 2: Prescription charges frozen, once again of no help whatsoever to pensioners and people on certain benefits.

I can't get my breath!! 🤬

[Alsatian]

A government safeguarding minister - Rachel Maclean - has suggested that people struggling with the cost of living should "work more hours, or get a better job".

That just shows how out of touch this government is!! 🤬

Also how are we pensioners supposed to increase our income? I have said on many occasions that the proposed benefits to ease the burden are either pure fiction, or only of benefit to the workers.

Proposal 1: Car MOT tests to be once every two years - this will only help drivers, and c£45 saving over a year - that's of little help, especially when, in an effort to recoup some of the loss, garages will stop discounting the cost of a tast and start charging the recommended fee (c£50?).

Proposal 2: Prescription charges frozen, once again of no help whatsoever to pensioners and people on certain benefits.

I can't get my breath!! 🤬

[Sorastro]

One way they could help both o.a.p's as well as workers is {especially if your a council tenant}:-
 If you rent your property {as I do} from the council then after you have been a tenant for a certain number of years {lets say 15} then your rent should be frozen at the 15 years amount, so if you stay a council tenant in the same house for 30 years then you will still pay the monthly equivalent of what you paid 15 years ago, also a reduction in council tax. Lets face it there's families out there that pay a lot less to the council than me so it's about time all my years as a council tenant were rewarded. I've been a council tenant for almost 50 years now and yes if I chose to buy this property I would get a decent discount but I'm a bit too long in the tooth to think about that now, unless of course I win the lottery. Looking back I must have "bought" this house twice over with the rent I've paid over the years but it was my choice because back then {when I had a young family} I was too scared to go for it in case I lost my job and subsequently lose my home.

I realise this doesn't help home owners, but that's the choice they made. Having never been a home owner myself I can't really comment on what I don't know and what help there is out there for them, maybe they could get the same help with council tax.
In my case although even if I did have my rent frozen, if I stayed in the house for fifty years, at the end I would still never own a brick of it whereas the home owner will see his "investment" continue to grow in value.

Another thing that I've always believed to be wrong is paying tax more than once. The working man has tax stopped out of his wages, so why should he be taxed again and again with things like v.a.t. and fuel duty, why does literally everything you buy have a "surcharge" so  the Government can get their cut.
They should either take it out of your wage packet and scrap v.a.t. but that would only benefit people not working. A better idea is let you keep what you earn and charge minimal v.a.t. fuel duty etc that way EVERYONE contributes.
Same when they change the rules, a classic example was putting up the retirement age, that's all well and good but people of a certain age didn't want to work any longer, and so they shouldn't, if your going to do something like that it should only apply to people of a certain age {and below} so they have plenty of time in which to adjust and those older expected to retire at 60 and 65 could do. That happened to my wife, she had to do an extra 2 years before retiring at 62 she wasn't happy.

[Sorastro]

After today's proceedings in Parliament once again it may look good on paper, to the Tories, but it doesn't come anywhere near.

I think it says "Everyone,including I assume O.A.P's, will get £400 between now and the Autumn" does that mean us pensioners who have not yet received our £150 won't get it?
Does that also mean O.A.P's won't get the Xmas winter fuel payment? it will all be bundled into this £400 if so, that means me and my missus by Christmas will end up with a whole £50 extra! and we will have spent over £800 over and above our normal fuel bills and we don't use half as much as a small family would.

They also are not taking into account the obvious {second} price hike in the Autumn that will still be here well into the new year and many will suffer long after that.

Why no one is screaming for an immediate General election is beyond me..... the Tories are on the ropes.

[Sorastro]

So from what I can make of it, for pensioners, so far is......

We will still receive the £150 rebate.
Between October and December we will receive a further £300 {this is per household}
Plus we will still receive the normal Winter fuel payment near Xmas.

If this is correct it will ease my utility bills somewhat but by Xmas I will still have shelled out an extra £800 over and above my last years bill plus as I said there will more than likely be another hike in October.

[Rheged]

The reality!