Cotswold residents facing increased living costs could be set to benefit from financial support.

The Cotswold District Council has launched a new scheme to help residents who were not supported by the Government £150 rebate.

Applications are open now for anyone in need of help with their energy bills who was not eligible for the rebate.

Councillor Mike Evemy, cabinet member for Finance, said: “We have opened a new scheme to support people not eligible for the original rebate scheme who need help to pay their energy bills.

“We have designed the scheme to assist those who need help most, including people on benefits, people living in shared accommodation and people on a low income.

“Residents can visit our website to see if they are eligible and apply. We will continue to work as fast as possible to distribute this financial support as we recognise the huge rise in the cost of living.”

The criteria for the original £150 rebate scheme was targeted at households in Council Tax bands A to D.

Additional funding was provided to councils to set up local schemes to help those not supported by the rebate.

The District Council’s schemes covers people in a variety of positions, including those in banded E-H properties who are on low incomes or don’t pay council tax due to caring or health reasons.

People on low income who pay energy bills but not council tax, people living in houses of multiple occupancy and on low income, and people living in emergency or supported accommodation are also eligible.

The full list of eligibility criteria is available on the council's website along with a form to apply for the support.

The council has also stated that it has moved “as fast as possible” to pay the original £150 to those eligible, with most people who pay Council Tax by Direct Debit having now received the payment.

The council is now in the process of contacting those eligible who do not pay by Direct Debit to explain how to provide the required information in order to make the payment.

Furthermore, a number of checks have been carried out to ensure those who have applied for the support are not committing fraud which may result in slower payments.

More information on the rebate can be found on the council website.