Rose Woolman-Alexander, 31, who rents in Somerset in council tax band F, said she was “very disappointed” in the “short-sighted” way the rebate would be paid. “Many of us in higher bands are struggling with the energy price hikes and the council tax increasing exponentially. I scrape by each month and we can’t afford to move as we have a good deal here renting privately,” she said.

Ms Woolman-Alexander was made redundant from her job for an energy provider as a result of the energy crisis. She now receives Universal Credit to help pay for childcare, food, and rent. She said the £150 discount would have been a huge help as their council tax bill is around a third of their monthly rent.

Alison Burling, who was forced out of her band D property by a landlord and has since moved into a band E home, said being excluded was “completely unfair”.

Ms Burling lives with her son and has a household income of £62,000. She said it was wrong that her friends earning more than £100,000 would receive support while she would not.

“This just isn’t fair. People who own their homes will get the rebate and we won’t,” she said.

The Government said there would be a £144m “discretionary fund” to help those left out of the rebate.