Decision details

Cabinet considered a report on the Council Tax Support Scheme for 2020/21, including proposed amendments to the scheme to make it simpler and more efficient.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet recommends that Council

1.    amend the Council Tax Support scheme for 2020/21 as follows:

(a)  Introduce a ‘banded scheme’, that is reviewed annually in line with the Consumer Price Index for September of the preceding year, with the income initial bands and levels of support set as follows:

Table 1 Proposed income bands and support for working age claimants

(b)  Disregard the first £40 weekly income for those customers classed as disabled under the current scheme;

(c)  Fully disregard Carer’s allowance;

(d)  Disregard the first £25 of all weekly-earned income;

(e)  Increase the maximum period that claims for Council Tax Support can be backdated from 13 weeks to 12 months, where customers can show good reasons for the delay;

(f)   Increase the fixed non-dependent deduction for other adults in the household from £7 to £8 per week;

(g)  Stop the additional 8 weeks top-up payment for some people who start work, known as extended payments; and

2.    note that, apart from the recommendations listed above, all other elements of the scheme are to remain unchanged.