Decision details

LCTS replaced Council Tax Benefit (CTB) from 1 April 2013. The Council has adopted a scheme which has the following key elements:

a)    Pensioners on low income protected from adverse changes (as required by Government)

b)    Disabled people, carers and blind people on a low income receive discretionary protection from adverse changes

c)    Working age people previously on full CTB pay no more than 12.5% of the council tax bill

d)    £25 per week of earned wages income disregarded from assessment (to provide a work incentive)

e)    Child Benefit and Child Maintenance disregarded from assessment (to minimise exacerbation of child poverty, or accusations of same)

f)     Hardship Policy to enable additional support for genuine extreme hardship cases

RESOLVED that the Local Council Tax Support Scheme proposals for consultation for 2021/22 are set on the same basis as 2020/21:

                               I.        The contribution rate is frozen for the sixth consecutive year at 12.5%.

                              II.        The Council continues to protect Vulnerable and Disabled Residents and Carer’s on a low income.

There is a requirement to annually review the Local Council Tax Support (LCTS) Scheme, and propose changes to the scheme for the following financial year. The decisions made, even if no change is proposed, must then be consulted upon before a decision is taken at Full Council in December on the final scheme for the following financial year.

N/A.