Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the guidance entitled Support for energy bills - the council tax rebate 2022-23: billing authority guidance, published on 16 March 2022, whether the requirement that payment methods other than BACS are acceptable would require councils to make payments in cash.

Councils should not normally make payments in cash. Where, exceptionally, a cash payment is considered appropriate, councils should satisfy themselves that the person receiving the money is entitled to payment and keep an appropriate audit trail.