Cost of Living Support Scheme

Powys Council has sent out reminders on the 1^st June with a new unique access key code for you to use.
They will arrive sometime this week and are valid for 30 days.
Please use this code when submitting your form.
You need to complete your registration form by 30 September 2022.
Powys Council has agreed and announced plans of its discretionary cost of living scheme. See below for more details.

Powys is administering on behalf of Welsh Government a £150 household payment Cost of Living Support Scheme to help people with the cost of living crisis.

If you need help to apply or support around grant advice or benefit or awards support generally please call us on 01597 826345.

Eligibility for Payments

Council Tax Reduction Scheme Entitlement - If you received Council Tax Reduction from Powys Council (this used to be called Council Tax Benefit and gives you help with paying your Council Tax bill as you are on a low income) on 15 February 2022, you will be eligible for the payment.

Council Tax Band - If you were liable for Council Tax and occupied a Powys property on 15^th February 2022, in council tax Bands A to D, and it is your main or primary residence, AND you are responsible for the household bills, you will be eligible for the payment.

Households living in properties which attract a disability adaptation band reduction are eligible for a payment, e.g. a property which has been valued as Band E but which receives a disability adaptation band reduction to Band D is eligible.

Discretionary Cost of Living Support - Powys Council has agreed its discretionary support scheme to help households not covered in the eligible categories above, to help support households it considers to be in need of assistance with their living costs. This will be a scheme based on vulnerability and support to those who need help most who have not received help through the main scheme. Go to our page to find out the eligible groups and what is happening.

For all schemes, each household is restricted to only one payment of £150

Only one payment is to be made in relation to any single dwelling under the main scheme. In cases of joint and several liabilities, only one payment is to be made and will usually be paid to the first named person on the council tax bill.

How It Will Work

Step 1

Powys Council will use its Council Tax and Council Tax Reduction scheme records to identify households eligible for a payment under the main Cost of Living Support Schemes above. More information will appear here about the Discretionary Scheme.

Step 2

If Powys Council holds an active current bank details for direct debit payment, and we think it is accurate then we will make a payment into the relevant bank account. You do not need to apply.

Step 3

If Powys Council doesn't hold your bank details, but we know you are eligible, then we have written to you to tell you that you are eligible and invite you to provide your bank account details below to make payment to you. The letter will give you a unique code to complete as part of the online form registration so you do not need to contact us before the letter arrives nor can you apply in any other way before that.

Reminder letters have just been sent out today (4^tMay 2022) to you if we do not have your bank details. The letters should arrive by the end of next week at the latest. The unique code will last for 30 days from the date of the letter. You can contact us for a duplicate letter and code if you don't receive the letter or it expires or you need help to apply.

We are undertaking bank account checks to make sure your bank account details are valid. If we cannot validate them, then we will be contacting you by letter or email to advise for his and asking for proof of your bank account to be sent to us at reviews@powys.gov.uk. We must have that proof and it must be checked before we can release payment to you.

If you don't understand what we are asking for or need help to provide the evidence then contact us.

If you have a building society account, the form doesn't accept this. Please contact our support line for help on this.

Step 4

We hope to start sending our payments to those who are eligible and we have verified bank accounts by the middle of May onwards. It will take at least a week or two to get payments into accounts due to volumes involved, so please be patient. We will send you an email or letter to advise we have paid you so you know to expect the payment.

Impact on Tax and Benefits

The DWP has confirmed that payments of this support will be disregarded in the assessment of Income Support, Income Based JSA and Income Related ESA, so these will not be affected. For Universal Credit claimants, there is no such provision but as there is no period attached to the payment, it will count as capital and claimants may need to report this to the DWP if their capital is over £5,800.

HMRC has confirmed that the payment of £150 is not taxable.

It will also be disregarded as income for the purposes of assessing entitlement to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.