Moves that will reduce the amount of discount available to those who get help to pay their council tax look set to go ahead.
Following a public consultation, South Holland District Council’s cabinet agreed to push ahead with a range of measures that could see a reduction in council tax support expenditure of around £187,000.
A report before last Tuesday’s meeting said, under the proposals, around 3,500 people currently claiming support would see it reduced by an average of £67.23 per year.
Coun Peter Coupland, portfolio holder for finance, said: “It’s not a tremendous saving. We have not slaughtered the system at all. We have tweaked it in line with the rest of the country.”
The changes will include:
- a reduction in the maximum level of council tax support – claimants will pay a minimum of 30 per cent of the bill instead of 25 per cent
- phasing out of support for claimants who receive it due to having a low-income adult living with them – reduced from 25 per cent to 20 per cent in 2017/18, ten per cent in 2018/19 and zero from 2019/20
- introduction of a minimum level of council tax support at £5 per week
- reduction in the amount of capital and savings a claimant can have to £8,000
- limitation of backdating to one month
- removal of ‘family premium’ – an additional reduction figure for claimants who have children – on new claims
A hardship policy will be built in to provide short-term additional help in individual cases where necessary.
Only 30 people responded to the consultation.
Of the savings generated by the decision, which must yet be ratified by full council, £20,000 will go to the district council and the rest to Lincolnshire County Council and other precepting bodies.
