Low Income Pandemic payment

Orkney Islands Council is in the process of identifying all residents in the county who are eligible for a one-off Low Income Pandemic payment of £130 to help with increased costs and lost income due to coronavirus.

You may be entitled if you received Council Tax Reduction in April 2021 or if you do not pay Council Tax for one of the following reasons:

• You are in temporary accommodation, including a refuge;
• Your home is unoccupied because you are being cared for or are caring for someone else;
• All members of the household are care leavers, are under 18 or are severely mentally impaired.

You may also get the payment if you make a backdated claim which covers any day in April 2021.

If you meet the eligibility criteria for Council Tax Reduction but you have not applied, you can get more information from the Council website and submit an application online.

If you are entitled, no application is required, and it is anticipated that all payments will be issued by the end of October.

Those who pay their discounted rate of Council Tax by direct debit will receive the payment into the same bank account, otherwise payments will be made by cheque.

More information is available here on the Scottish Government website.