Hard-up households in York will still get help with their energy bills even if they do not qualify for the government’s council tax rebate scheme.

The rebate – for households in council tax bands A-D – was announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in February to ease the impact of soaring energy bills, but around 20 per cent of households nationally are not eligible for it.

Now, City of York Council has revealed how it will dish out £250,000 of extra government support to other households who are energy bill payers but are not covered by the main scheme.

Cllr Nigel Ayre, executive member for finance and performance, is being asked to approve the proposals at a decision session on Monday, April 11.

City of York Council has chosen to provide a £150 rebate to all households above bands A-D where: the household is in receipt of council tax support; the household is in receipt of any other working age income related benefit; the householder or their partner are in receipt of pension credit; a member of the household is in receipt of disability living allowance (DLA); or a member of the household is in receipt of personal independence payment (PIP).

The scheme will also provide up to a £150 rebate to households above band A-D that can prove hardship, have less than £6,000 in savings and have not received any payment from the core scheme.

In addition, York households within bands A-D which are not liable to pay council tax but do have liability for utility bills will get a £150 rebate, provided they have not already benefited through the core scheme.

The grant will be provided through a direct payment to residents’ bank accounts but can be applied to their council tax account if requested.

If a household does not pay by direct debit, the council will invite them to apply for the payment through an application process.

The authority has also laid out which households will not benefit from the discretionary scheme.

This includes any household that benefits from the core £150 rebate scheme, second homes or holiday homes and empty properties.

Students living in halls of residence (class M) will not be eligible for the cash and neither will Ministry of Defence (MOD) properties (class O), as the MOD will provide cost of living support.

There is no formal right to appeal but City of York Council chiefs have pledged that it will operate an internal review process and will accept an applicant’s request for an appeal of its decision.