Households in Brighton and Hove in council tax bands A to D will get a £100 Household Energy Payment from January 2027, under the Autumn Budget presented on Wednesday 28 October 2026. Brighton and Hove City Council has set out what the Budget means for the city in its own summary, and the government has published the detail on GOV.UK.
Here is what changes for bills, wages, housing and local businesses, and the dates to put in your diary.
The £100 Household Energy Payment: who gets it
Who qualifies. Households that are liable for council tax on, and live in, a band A to D home as their main home. Second homes and empty properties are excluded, and the government says full criteria will be published later. You can check your band on the council tax pages.
When. Payments are made from January 2027.
How to get it. The government says people in bands A to D who pay council tax by direct debit do not need to do anything, because the money will be paid into their bank account. Everyone else will be invited to apply by their council. The guidance warns: "Nobody other than your council should get in touch asking you to claim the rebate."
If you do not qualify. The government is giving councils a £100 million discretionary fund to help households that are not eligible, and each council sets its own criteria. It also lists a £150 Warm Home Discount for people on means-tested benefits.
Bills, fuel and pay
Electricity. The VAT cut on household electricity, in place since 1 October, is extended to July 2027. The government says the cut saves an average household about £45 a year.
Gas. The government has asked Ofgem to remove standing charges on household gas bills as early as 2027, moving the cost into the unit price. That means bills will depend more on how much gas you use, and low-energy households are likely to pay less.
Fuel. The 5p fuel duty cut is extended for six more months, and the inflation-linked increase is deferred to 1 July 2027.
Pay. The National Living Wage rises 3.9% to £13.21 an hour on 1 April 2027, worth £910 a year in gross earnings for a full-time worker. The council notes this will particularly help the city's large hospitality workforce.
Buses. The council's summary also lists a £2 bus fare cap outside London throughout 2027.
Housing, homelessness and first-time buyers
The government is putting an extra £1.5 billion into social and affordable housing, and £432 million over the next two years towards rough sleeping. The council's summary says the housing money is prioritised for social rent, especially council homes.
For first-time buyers there is a new First Time Buyer ISA, and the Your First Home scheme, which the government expects to help 70,000 people onto the property ladder. Council Leader Bella Sankey said she is particularly pleased to see measures that make buying a first home more affordable.
Shops, pubs, restaurants and small businesses
Retail, hospitality and leisure properties in England will have business rates bills frozen in real terms for two years, reduced, or cut to zero. The government is also raising the Small Business Rates Relief threshold, which it says takes about 70,000 more businesses out of business rates, with half of those paying none.
The trading allowance triples from £1,000 to £3,000, to help people starting a small business. The council's summary puts business rates support for retail, hospitality and leisure at £1.9 billion in 2027 to 2028, and says small businesses and the visitor economy are vital to Brighton and Hove.
What it means for Sussex and Brighton as a region
The Budget also gives more money and powers to the new regional bodies called Strategic Authorities. The government says mayors will receive income tax assignment from 2028, and will keep a share of locally retained business rates from next year. It plans legislation to let all Strategic Authorities introduce an Overnight Visitor Levy, although no amount or start date has been given.
The council says the new Strategic Authority for Sussex and Brighton gets greater funding and powers, and lists a possible visitor levy from 2028. For the background on the local government changes, read our report on the Brighton and Hove merger plan.
What to do now
Check your council tax band, and if you pay by direct debit in bands A to D you should not need to do anything. Wait for your council to contact you if you do not pay by direct debit, and ignore anyone else who says they can claim the payment for you. The full detail is in the government's guide to what the Budget means for your energy bills and its Budget 2026 announcement.
Comments
No comments yet. Start the conversation.