Don't forget to have your say on our proposals to increase support for most vulnerable residents
Friday, 21 October 2022
A consultation on our proposals to change our Council Tax Support Scheme is closing soon (1 November) and we want to hear your views.
The proposals are to increase the support available to the most vulnerable residents at a time when living costs are rising. The consultation on those changes is open until 1 November 2022.
The Council Tax Support Scheme sets out how working-age residents on low incomes, disabled people and carers can claim discounts on their Council Tax in Central Bedfordshire.
The current scheme is complicated for residents to understand and work out what they are eligible for. It also means any change in their income however small means their Council Tax Support has to be recalculated.
Councillor David Shelvey, our Executive Member for Corporate Resources, said:
The changes to the scheme will see thousands of our most vulnerable residents on low incomes receive more support with their Council Tax, some won’t have to pay any Council Tax under the new scheme.
The scheme will continue to be means tested but instead of looking at the precise income of a household to make the calculation, the new scheme will use 5 income bands.
Councillor Shelvey went on to explain:
At a time when those on low incomes are worried about the rising cost of living, we wanted to ensure the changes to simplify the scheme continued to support the most vulnerable residents in our communities and support those who can work to do so. The flexibility around using income bands does this – it means residents can earn a bit more and their Council Tax Support will not change unless they move between the bands. It also provides greater certainty to residents about what they need to pay which is incredibly important at a time when budgeting is becoming harder for those on low incomes.
There are other changes to the scheme that benefit disabled people and carers.