Southwark - have council tax rebates been paid yet?

[Asset]

I haven?t had mine yet. Band D

[lilolil]

I rang them yesterday and was told that I could expect it by the end of May?.we?ll see!

[Nigello]

From my email query:

Southwark Council are currently processing the all Direct Debit rebate payments. For all other payments invites to apply will be sent out shortly and you will be required to complete an on-line form and may need to provide additional information. You do not need to do anything now and will be contacted in due course.

[legalalien]

Update on process for payment and progress on payments in this document on the agenda for next Cabinet meeting:

https://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/documents/s107260/Report%20Council%20Tax%20rebate.pdf

[CPR Dave]

"The Government has allocated the council a Council Tax Rebate budget

of ?17,367,300 which was received on the 30 March 2022. "

I still haven't received my rebate and they have been sitting on this oney for well over two months now. It's shameful behaviour form the council, once again.

[Rockets]

I wonder how much of this is a wilful backlog by the council.....they can't Torywash with this as they have had the money sitting in their account since March? It always amazes me how quick organisations are to take money yet always slow to pay it back - what happens if you're two months late on your CT payments.....

Direct debits for CT are always automatically updated each year so the reversal process for those who use it should not be taking this long.

[Jenijenjen]

Do those who haven?t received their rebates pay their CT by direct debit? I only signed up to pay by direct debit in April and only received my rebate this week.

[lilolil]

I received this email 24th May

Thank you for your email.

You should receive the rebate in your bank in the next 2 weeks or so. They are being paid out in weekly batches due to the high volume of eligible residents

[Asset]

Rebate came through today for me

[lilolil]

Got mine today too

[L_M]

Still nothing!

band C so surely they should’ve been in touch

The email address they gave in their original annual bill re the rebate came back undeliverable.

Do I just ring up?

[CPR Dave]

I still haven't had my rebate. I pay by DD monthly (have done for years) and have had no correspondence from the council at all.

Their website now says:

 

If you haven't received your rebate yet it is because we have been unable to verify your bank details. You'll need to apply to get a rebate if we can't verify your bank details and you'll receive an invite to apply before the end of June 2022

 

I can't see anyway to get in contact with them though and I haven't had an invite.

Is anyone else in the same situation?

[Callie]

if you pay by DD they don't send invites, it will get paid automatically into your bank account, they are running behind. I would just check your account every couple of weeks rather than daily.

[CPR Dave]

Thanks Callie.

Southwark's website says that "We have now paid all eligible residents living in properties banded A - D who set up their Direct Debit payment before 1 April 2022."

However, I haven't received my payment .

They also say "We have now contacted all eligible residents to invite them to apply for a payment directly to their bank account."

However, I haven't been contacted either.

Is anyone else in this situation? I am trying to contact them but it is obviously hopeless with all of their team being busy helping other customers.

[Castleton]

I am in exactly the same position. Band D no payment no communication

[CPR Dave]

I've managed to speak to them and for some reason y account was not shown as being registered for Direct Debit at the 1 April 2022 (even though they have been collecting payments by DD from the same account for about 10 years).

So they sent out an email that i never received at the beginning of June asking me to claim the rebate. That has now expired so they are going to have to send a post office voucher out by post instead.

If you haven't received any correspondence or cash it's worth calling them.

[legalalien]

This is quite an interesting article comparing payment rates in different areas across the country.

https://www.lgcplus.com/finance/revealed-winners-and-losers-in-council-tax-rebate-race-and-why-22-08-2022/?utm_campaign=13424519_Key%20Issues%2024%20Aug%202022&utm_medium=email&utm_source=London%20Councils&dm_i=192K,7ZQFB,47DH9Q,WOLXK,1

Councils have been pushing to be allowed to simply credit the amount against council tax bills - simpler for them - but also, and unsaid - a great means of collecting council tax arrears as presumably the whole payment is then applied against any unpaid council tax rather than the recipient choosing what to use it for.