More than 80,000 Wirral households can expect to see £150 dropping into their bank accounts in the near future.

In February, the government announced a package of support to help people with increasing energy costs. This included a one-off payment of £150 to households in Council Tax bands A to D and a discretionary fund for higher band properties.

Wirral Council has now confirmed when residents in the borough can expect to get their rebate. A spokesperson for the local authority said: "Those who pay their Council Tax by direct debit should expect to see the payments being made into their bank accounts from this week onwards."

That includes around 88,000 households, but it does not include everyone in the borough. In March, Wirral Council said around 46,000 households do not pay by direct debit but will be eligible for the payment.

On this group, the spokesperson said: "We will be writing to all those who pay Council Tax by other means – and therefore for whom we do not have the relevant bank details – towards the end of May/early June with details [of] how to claim the rebate."

The local authority's website said it will also introduce a discretionary fund, which is likely to include a one-off payment of up to £150 to those in Council Tax bands E to H who are in receipt of Council Tax Support. However, there will be additional locally determined qualifying criteria which will be published in the near future.

To receive this, residents will have to go through an application process. Full details of the rebate scheme in Wirral can be found here.