Find out about the Council Tax Support Fund for 2023/2024
About the fund
In December 2022 the government announced £100 million of funding for local authorities to deliver additional support to households to assist with the higher council tax increases which have been allowed for 2023/2024. It applies to both working age and pension age households receiving Council Tax Support during 2023/2024.
We are using the funding to provide the government reduction of £25, plus an additional discretionary local reduction of £25, giving a maximum total reduction of £50.
The Council Tax Support Fund Grant is the lower of:
- £50, or
- your Council Tax liability for 2023/2024 from the start date of your CTS claim
If you qualify for the grant we will award it automatically and you will receive an updated council tax bill. The grant shows on your bill as ‘Council Tax Support Fund’.
If you still have a balance to pay your instalments are recalculated to include the grant. If you have already made payments and you have a credit on your account we will refund this to you.
About our Policy
This scheme is designed to assist with the higher council tax increases which have been allowed for 2023/2024. The funding enables us to provide a council tax reduction of up £50 to vulnerable households receiving Council Tax Support to offset these higher amounts.
Over 90% of working age households receiving CTS live in properties in council tax bands A or B. The borough council’s share of the annual council tax bill, excluding the levy for the Internal Drainage Boards, is only £55.06 for a band A property, and £64.24 for a band B property – just 4% of the overall bill. A hardship award of £50 means we are able to cover the majority of the cost of providing our local services to our residents in the lowest bands.
Our full Council Tax Support Fund Policy is below: