With the news that government is giving a £150 rebate to help with the cost of living, comes the inevitable fraud alert. Mendip residents are being warned that criminals are calling people and asking for their bank details in order to receive the rebate. This is a scam.

Your District Council would never cold call you and ask for your personal bank details over the phone. If you receive such a call, hang up and report it.

If you think you have provided personal details to someone, you are advised to call the Police immediately on 101 and report the matter as an identity theft. The Police are also directing people to the Action Fraud helpline on 0300 123 2040.

The energy rebate was recently announced by government who recognised many homeowners would be economically vulnerable due to the price hikes – with some energy experts predicting bills could reach £3,000 by the end of the year.

Now scammers are moving in to heap more misery on cash-strapped households, and residents are being warned to remain on their guard.

All eligible households in England in council tax bands A to D, should get the £150 payment from their District Council from this month. This includes those who already receive assistance in paying some or all of their council bill through local council tax support.

For those not eligible for a rebate under the terms of the main scheme, but are struggling to meet the costs of rising energy bills (including those who live in properties that fall into council tax bands E, F, G and H) an additional £144 million discretionary fund has also been launched by government and made available through local authorities.

Mendip District Council is urging bill-payers to set up a direct debit to ensure they get their £150 energy rebate payment as quickly as possible. Getting the rebate money to council tax payers without a direct debit in place will take longer to process and could result in delays. Find out how to set up a direct debit here: http://help.mendip.gov.uk/council-tax/Direct-debit-setup

Find your property band here: www.gov.uk/council-tax-bands.

Visit https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/how-to-report-fraud or call the helpline on 0300 123 2040, if you have concerns about fraud or have fallen victim to a possible Council Tax scam.