Eastbourne residents receive £150 energy rebate

Eastbourne Borough Council said 37,895 households have been assessed for the rebate.

An automated validation process that ensures payments are only made to eligible residents had to be created, a council spokesperson said.

The council said 26,775 direct debit payers are being processed first, followed by 11,120 residents who use alternative payment methods.

The total payments made in Eastbourne over the last few days is £3,787,500, according to the council.

Confirmation letters are being sent to households.

Leader of the council David Tutt said, “The cost of living crisis is bringing unprecedented pressure on families, particularly the most vulnerable in our town.

“The £150 rebate is a welcome step, but as I have made clear previously, the government could give people in real need the support they are desperate for by agreeing a windfall tax on the energy companies.

“BP announced today (Wednesday, May 4) nearly £5 billion in profits for just the first three months of the year, which makes the decision not to bring in a windfall tax even more difficult to understand.”

Where the automated payment system flags up an account as requiring more information or clarification before payment can be made, council officers will write to the taxpayer concerned, according to the spokesperson.

The council said it will not telephone residents and ask for details.

Councillor Tutt added, “I would like to thank our officers for their tireless efforts to get this payment system into place so quickly.

“They also set up an award-winning system for paying grants during the pandemic and so it is no surprise that they have excelled with this latest initiative.”

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