To think this rebate announced today is a total con

[Viviennemary]

So this so called rebate has to be paid back. It isnt exactly a rebate then is it?

Yeah, it's a pile of shite.

Here, have a loan for £200. We'll get you to repay it over five years.

Personally I don't want it but I suspect we won't have a choice, it'll be auto-added and then auto-deducated.

Also it's gonna do fuck all to help people desperately struggling with their energy bills in the long run? I'm earning barely above minimum wage, I can't afford an extra £200 a month. 🙄

What's it for? I've been at work all day so missed the news!

It's not really a con. It's just shit.

Wow!

Just started another thread on this whole thing as I was shocked there's so little on mn on this.

I missed that they were doing it as a bloody loan! Wtf!

I'm disabled, unemployed and on benefits and I can't see ANY clear info on exactly what help people in my position will be getting towards this. We certainly can't afford to pay back a massive loan!!

It involuntarily creates a debtor-creditor relationship between the government and the majority adult in the population with no opt out available. That is problematic for all sorts of reasons as there must also be variable interest conditions in the smallprint

It’s a con and it’s relying on prices falling back down quickly. When do prices ever fall quickly once they’ve gone up?!

Yes, Ive never had a rebate I have had to pay back. I think the word Rishi was looking for was loan!

Typical Tory shite and lies.

YANBU.

I don't want the loan either I "want" to pay whatI owe now, but it did sound like it will go to everyone.

Also, whatever help is available, why on earth give it to everyone, why not give more help to those who need it most?

@TravellingSpoon

Yes, Ive never had a rebate I have had to pay back. I think the word Rishi was looking for was loan!

In the interview I heard this morning he did repeatedly call it a loan. Has the language changed since?

Him calling it a discount makes me so angry I would like to reach through the screen and punch him in the face.

Yep.
Also unlikely that the Tories will be in long enough to have to deal with it later.

Whilst I agree the £200 isn't going to stretch very far and creates a bigger problem down the line I thought the rebate part was the £150 for council tax bands a-d. This, as far as I'm aware, won't need to be paid back.

This whole situation is very worrying though.

It's a lie and a con and a pile of steaming sh1t being dumped us from a great height. National insurance increase going ahead; VAT on energy retained. Shameful.

I don't know what will happen but we are heading for a disaster. Full effects may not be felt until next winter when we need to heat our homes after both the Oct 2021 and April 2022 energy price increases, on top of NI rise and tax thresholds making people pay more tax from Apr 2022, interest rate /mortgage rises, massive inflation on basics such as food, council tax rises - sh1t will hit the fan 😪

In his speech to the house, he refers to a rebate three times, he doesn't call it a loan at all.

www.gov.uk/government/speeches/chancellors-statement-to-the-house-energy-price-cap

I’m on benefits I don’t want it either I try my best stay out of debt. If I can’t pay my bill now I’m not going pay it in 2-3-4 years time with arrears. Help the must vulnerable my ass

I want to opt out, I hope the energy companies give us the option to do so? I don’t want to be in debt to this bunch of self serving shysters

(Apologies, he refers to it as a discount, with the council tax reduction a rebate, which he also calls a discount. Still no reference to a loan.)

I thought the rebate part was the £150 for council tax bands a-d. This, as far as I'm aware, won't need to be paid back.

Yes I heard this - can someone please explain why only bands a-d. Won't everyone feel the increase whatever band your property is in? Social housing properties are more likely to be in lower bands and also more likely to have lower income households.

@GnomeyGnome

Whilst I agree the £200 isn't going to stretch very far and creates a bigger problem down the line I thought the rebate part was the £150 for council tax bands a-d. This, as far as I'm aware, won't need to be paid back.

This whole situation is very worrying though.

But when council tax will go up by at least 3-4% in April its not a lot they're giving is it?

I think our CT will go up by about £80 ish. So I'm getting £70 off. Suddenly it doesn't look so generous.

@Meandthesky

It’s a con and it’s relying on prices falling back down quickly. When do prices ever fall quickly once they’ve gone up?!

Is it even likely they’ll fall at all? Does the price cap ever reduce?

The loan is to the energy companies, they pass it to us via a £200 rebate in our bills from October 2022.

We then pay back the loan for them, via an extra £40 added to our bills each year for 5 years…

www.gov.uk/government/news/millions-to-receive-350-boost-to-help-with-rising-energy-costs

Utterly ridiculous

@PreparationPreparationPrep

I thought the rebate part was the £150 for council tax bands a-d. This, as far as I'm aware, won't need to be paid back.

Yes I heard this - can someone please explain why only bands a-d. Won't everyone feel the increase whatever band your property is in? Social housing properties are more likely to be in lower bands and also more likely to have lower income households.

a is the lowest band so that's why