Ealing council tax payers who sign-up for direct debit are in with the chance of winning a £25,000 cash prize.

Ealing Council is one of 20 boroughs taking part in the London-wide prize draw to encourage more people to pay their council tax by direct debit. The council is also running an extra draw, only open to Ealing residents, to give away a second prize of £1,000.

To be in with a chance to win, residents have to register to pay by direct debit before 5.00pm on 15 July 2010 or already be paying in this way.

The prize draw is being held to encourage more Londoners to pay their council tax by direct debit because it helps to keep down administrative costs.

Everyone in Ealing who already pays by direct debit will automatically be entered into the draw.

The prize draw is being run in conjunction with Bacs Payments, the not for profit organisation that manages payments and was launched by Madness star Suggs.

Cabinet member for Finance and Performance, Councillor David Scott, said: "We’re keen to encourage people to sign up to pay by direct debit because it helps us to reduce our costs and offer better value for money to tax payers."

"That is why for the first time we are clubbing together with other councils to offer a £25,000 jackpot to one lucky council tax payer."

"We’re also offering an extra £1,000 prize just for Ealing residents, so it would be madness not to sign up to direct debit."