Martin Lewis said people can apply for a discretionary £150 from their local council if they are not automatically eligible for the rebate.
The Money Saving Expert appeared on Good Morning Britain to share advice on how people can grab back some money if they are not eligible for the council tax rebate. From April 1, energy bills are expected to rise as the average household on default tariffs will see their bills increase by £693 a year, while those using prepayment meters will see a hike of £708.
The council tax rebate has been implemented to help those struggling with the energy bill increase with payments of up to £150. But not everyone will be entitled to it.
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Only households falling under the tax bands A - D will be entitled to the rebate. Martin Lewis explained to viewers how those not in the specified council tax bands can still claim back money.
The 49-year-old explained £144 million of funding, known as the Discretionary Fund, has been put in place for those that are not eligible for the automatic rebate. He said: "If you are really struggling on your energy bills you can apply to your local council, it's council by council terms, and they can, by discretion, give you up to £150 if you're not eligible for [the council tax rebate]. You'll need to do that in April, get in touch with them.
"If you're in band E or above, get in touch if you're really struggling and ask if you can have that £150." Martin also advised prepayment customers on how to avoid back charges from their energy companies during the special programme.
Urging people to take a photo of their prepayment metre on Thursday (31 March), the day before the energy cap rise is due. He added: "Go and take a photo of your prepayment meter on 31 March. "So if your energy company do try and back charge you, you can say, 'well, I know exactly what I was using until that date.' And e-mail it to yourself so you've got a timestamp on your photo, so you can prove it was 31 March."
