Government council tax checker crashes as millions rush to see if they qualify for £100
The Government’s council tax band checker crashed after millions of households were told they could receive a new £100 energy payment. Here’s how to find your band and check if you qualify.
A Government website allowing households to check their council tax band crashed on Wednesday afternoon after millions of people were told they could qualify for a new £100 energy payment.
The official GOV.UK council tax band checker stopped working shortly after Chancellor John Healey announced that households in bands A to D in England would receive the £100 Household Energy Payment.
People trying to use the service were instead met with a message saying there was a problem and telling them to try again later.
The rush came after the Chancellor confirmed up to 20 million households would receive the cash as part of measures designed to ease the pressure from rising energy bills.
But you don't necessarily need the Government checker to find out whether your home is likely to qualify.
How can I check my council tax band?
Your council tax band should be clearly displayed on your latest council tax bill.
People who receive paperless bills should also be able to find it by logging into their council tax account on their local authority's website.
Once the Government service is working normally again, people in England and Wales can also check their council tax band on GOV.UK by searching for their address or postcode.
For the new £100 payment in England, the qualifying bands are:
- Band A
- Band B
- Band C
- Band D
Homes in bands E, F, G and H are not included in the standard payment, although the Government is also giving English councils £100 million to provide targeted help to households particularly badly affected by rising energy costs.
When will the £100 payment be made?
The Treasury says the new £2.6 billion Household Energy Payment will provide £100 to households in bands A to D in England from January 2027.
It will be delivered by local authorities through the council tax system, with the Government saying the money will be paid directly into bank accounts.
Further details are expected on exactly how the scheme will work, including what people who do not currently pay their council tax by direct debit may need to do.
Around 20 million households could qualify.
Why does my council tax band matter?
Council tax bands in England are not based on what your home is worth today.
Instead, properties are placed into bands according to what they would have been worth on April 1, 1991.
The valuations used in England are:
- Band A: up to £40,000
- Band B: £40,001 to £52,000
- Band C: £52,001 to £68,000
- Band D: £68,001 to £88,000
- Band E: £88,001 to £120,000
- Band F: £120,001 to £160,000
- Band G: £160,001 to £320,000
- Band H: more than £320,000
That means today's value of your home is not a reliable way of working out which band you are in.
Do Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland get the £100?
The confirmed £100 Household Energy Payment for council tax bands A to D applies to England.
The Treasury says the Scottish and Welsh governments and Northern Ireland Executive will receive their share of funding through the Barnett formula, allowing them to provide similar support.
Separate details will therefore be needed for households outside England.
Announcing the payment, Mr Healey said rising energy bills were a "real worry" for families and said the Government wanted to give households "a bit of breathing space".
The Chancellor said: "This winter, for 20 million households in council tax bands A to D, I am announcing a £100 energy payment for households."
The official council tax checker can be found on GOV.UK, although households unable to access it can check their latest council tax bill or their council's online account instead.