MORE than 100,000 households are potentially eligible for the government’s council tax rebate, new figures show, as Chancellor Rishi Sunak provided more help amid the cost of living crisis.

Mr Sunak unveiled a package of financial support last week to add to the £150 council tax rebate for almost every house between bands A to D.

This included a universal £400 grant to help pay for rising energy bills in October, a one-off £650 payment for those on means-tested benefits, a £300 grant for pensioners receiving winter fuel payments and £150 to those receiving certain disability allowances.

Valuation Office Agency figures show there were 113,040 properties classified between council tax bands A to D in Brighton and Hove as of March 31 – 86 per cent of the 132,190 total households in the area.

Across England and Wales, 21.4 million of the 26.6 million total properties are in bands A to D.

All occupiers in these properties are eligible for the rebate, except for where the owner is liable for council tax, such as a house of multiple occupancy or residential care home, with payments expected to have been made by the end of July.

Those eligible for the rebate can either receive a direct payment or have it credited to their council tax bill by default.

While Brighton and Hove council leader Phelim Mac Cafferty said the payment will help many people in the city, he said the measure was a “drop in the ocean” of what is needed to help people with the cost of living.

He said: “The price is rapidly rising of everyday essentials, including food, gas and electricity.

“We remain seriously concerned about the impact the cost of living crisis is having on our residents and have made additional support available at this time.”

Charity National Energy Action praised the government’s more targeted help ahead of an "utterly disastrous" winter for many who will be pushed into fuel poverty but said this does not apply to the council tax rebate.

NEA said the current classification misses 600,000 households on low incomes, that vulnerable people not paying by direct debit are finding it difficult to access the rebate and that it holds "serious concerns" about the implementation of the rebate.

"Councils across England and Wales have their own way of administering the scheme, creating a postcode lottery for struggling households," added chief executive Adam Scorer.

However, the range of extra measures Mr Sunak announced will help 8 million of the lowest-income households, 8 million pensioner households and a further 6 million currently receiving non-means-tested disability benefits, the Chancellor claimed.

On announcing the £15 billion support package, which will be part-funded by a windfall tax on oil and gas firms, expected to raise £5 billion, Mr Sunak said: "This government will not sit idly by while there is a risk that some in our country might be set so far back that they might never recover."

Those struggling to pay for the cost of food and energy bills are urged to contact the council’s community hub by calling 01273 293117 and selecting option one.