Council Tax Support Scheme 2023/24
Each year the council has to decide whether to change the Council Tax Support (CTS) scheme for working age people in its area.
You are working age if you have not yet reached state pension age.
State pension age is not fixed and depends on your date of birth. You can find out more by using this pension age calculator.
This year the council is considering making some changes to the scheme. The changes that are being considered are all aimed at helping maximise the support available to residents.
What is Council Tax Support?
Council Tax Support is a discount for Council Tax. The level of discount is based on the income of the household. Currently, the maximum discount is 90% of Council Tax for working age households and up to 100% for pensioners.
Why is a change to the scheme being considered?
The council is consulting on the following changes to the Council Tax Support scheme for 2023/24:
- Increasing the maximum period of time that the start date of a new application can be backdated from one month to three months
- Introducing a clause allowing the council to disregard, in the calculation of CTS, any income that is classed as ‘local welfare provision’. An example of this is an Energy Rebate Scheme payment
- Disregarding the child care element of Universal Credit from the CTS calculation. It is not currently disregarded
Who will this affect?
Working age households in the district who currently receive or will apply for Council Tax Support. Pension age households will not be affected as central government decides how that scheme works.
Consultation
This consultation closed on Monday 31 October. Thank you to those who took part.
All the feedback we receive will be reported to councillors who will make a final decision on whether to implement the changes. If the proposed changes are made, they will take effect from 1 April 2023.
Published: 3 October 2022