Published: Monday, 17th January 2022
Nearly 2,000 households on low incomes are set to benefit from changes to the council tax support scheme run by the borough council*.
Under the current scheme the borough council will meet up to 75% of the cost of a resident’s council tax bill but the cabinet has agreed that it should rise to 84% from April.
Council Leader, Cllr Stuart Dark MBE, said: “The borough council is here for its residents and this change really feels like the right thing to do, especially at the current time.
“When the new Cabinet was formed we said we would look at our policies and plans and do more to help people on low incomes where we could. Our track record shows we have already been doing that, for example with the widespread reduction of children’s play charges throughout last summer.
“Putting forward a significant increase in our locally-controlled Council Tax Relief was another opportunity that we promptly saw to help: in this case it will benefit almost two thousand households, from April into the future, who currently fall outside the protection of the national scheme.
“This increase is only part of the actions we undertake to support people but we believe it’s another helpful step that we can take.”
The report was agreed by the cabinet on 11 January and will then be sent to full council to be ratified on 25 January.
Examples of the change in practice:
Single person with income of £100pw, support goes up by £1.67pw/£87.08pa to £707.07pa based on a band A property.
Couple with child under 5, with income of £250pw, will see no change as they are in a protected group so can already have up to 100% CTS. They will continue to receive £1,265pa based on a band C property.
Couple with 2 children over 5, with a combined income of £350.00, support goes up by £2.60pw/£135.73pa to £480.52pa based on a band B property.