The discretionary scheme closed at midnight on the 30 March 2023 and no further payments can be made from this scheme.

The Welsh Government provided additional funding to each Local Authority to enable them to provide support under this scheme, to help households it considered to be in need of assistance with their living costs.

Ceredigion will use the funding provided by The Welsh Government to support households that were not eligible for support under the main scheme and meet the criteria outlined below:

A £150 Cost of Living Discretionary payment will be made to households where:

  • the person liable for Council Tax lives in a Ceredigion property as their main home on 15 February 2022 or moved to receive or provide care elsewhere; and
  • has not received a Cost of Living payment under the main scheme; and
  • is receiving one of the following Council Tax exemptions, reductions or discounts:
    1. Exemption Class I – The property is unoccupied as the liable person is absent from the property as they are receiving care elsewhere, but not in a care home
    2. Exemption Class J –The property is unoccupied as the liable person is absent from the property as they are providing personal care to another person elsewhere
    3. Exemption Class U – All residents are severely mentally impaired
    4. Exemption Class X – Are care leavers who are 18 years old or over but have not yet reached the age of 25
    5. Council Tax bands F to I who are in receipt of a disabled band reduction
    6. Liable person living alone in a Council Tax band E to I property receiving a 25% single person discount

There is only one payment per eligible household and in the case of joint and several liabilities the payment will be paid to the first named person on the Council Tax bill.

Next steps for the discretionary scheme

Phase 1

  • If we already hold your Direct Debit details on your Council Tax account and you satisfy one of the qualifying criteria listed in points 1 to 6 above, we will look to make the £150 payment directly into your bank account week commencing 14 November 2022
  • If we do not hold your Direct Debit details on your Council Tax account and you satisfy one of the qualifying criteria listed in points 1 to 6 above, we will be arranging for the Post Office to issue a voucher letter for collection of the £150 Cost of Living payment at any of their branches. Letters will be issued week commencing 14 November 2022

Phase 2

  • Following completion of phase 1 above if there is still Discretionary scheme funding remaining, Ceredigion will open an on-line registration form for households who have not received a £150 Cost of Living payment and are experiencing significant hardship

The on-line registration form along with guidance will appear here if and when Phase 2 opens.

We have until 31 March 2023 to administer all payments under the Discretionary scheme; however, the scheme will close earlier if our Welsh Government funding allocation has been fully utilised/spent.