SOME people in Taunton Deane and West Somerset who have already received the £150 energy rebate could be handed even more money to help alleviate hardship caused by soaring fuel prices.

And potentially hundreds of others who did not qualify for a payment under the Government criteria will now receive the £150.

The decision was taken this week by Somerset West and Taunton chief executive Andrew Pritchard.

It comes after the Government handed the council a further £292,000 for a local discretionary energy rebate scheme.

Under the initiative in the council patch, there will be:

  • a single one-off payment of £150 for any household living in a home with a council tax band E to H and who are in receipt of Council Tax Support (CTS);
  • a single 'top up' payment of £24 to all households within council tax band A to H who receive a £150 Council Tax Energy Rebate from either the main or discretionary scheme and who are in receipt of CTS;
  • a General Energy Support Fund of £5,000, plus the balance after making payment of 1 and 2 above. This part will be available only to those households not qualifying for an energy rebate payment under 1 or 2 above or the main scheme and are experiencing financial hardship and struggling to meet their energy costs. The payment under this part will be £150 and will be made upon referral by a partner agency (such as CAB) rather than by direct application to the council.

The Government announced in February measures to help protect millions of households from rising energy costs.

As part of the measures, Somerset West and Taunton Council was provided with £292,200 with which to develop a discretionary energy rebate scheme.

The discretionary pot is in addition to the £8million the Government has made available to SWT to operate the mandatory Energy Rebate Scheme, which is focused on households in council tax bands A to D who qualify for a flat rate £150 one-off payment.

READ MORE: Energy rebate payments of £150 going out to help with energy bills in homes in SWT.