Consultation on Local Council Tax Support

Council tax Support has been in place since April 2013 after Council Tax Benefit was abolished. We are now proposing to maintain as much support for vulnerable people as possible; however in these times of welfare reform, changes to the scheme may need to be made to make necessary savings.  Please take the time to give us your views on these proposed changes below:

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* 1. Council tax Support is ‘self-funding’. This means that it costs the same as the amount of the Government grant the Council receives. To what extent do you agree or disagree with reducing people’s maximum council tax support in line with this if it were to cost more?

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* 2. Do you agree or disagree with the principle of all working age claimants paying something towards their council tax bill?

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* 3. If you do agree, what level of minimum payment do you think should be applied?

In line with changes to Housing benefit which were announced in the Summer Budget 2015, we are proposing to introducing changes which help Local Council Tax Support to fall in line with Housing benefit rules. All questions below are in relation to changes that may have already been implemented or are due to be introduced in April 2017 for Housing Benefit.

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* 4. To what extent do you agree/disagree with the removal of the family premium (£17.45) for new claimants and for those with children from 1st April 2017 in line with changes to Housing benefit legislation?

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* 5. A claimant is only allowed to be absent from Great Britain for up to 4 weeks at a time (previously 13 weeks) before their Housing Benefit claim is closed. Do you agree/disagree that this should be introduced into local council tax support in line with this?

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* 6. At the moment, a person can get their council tax support backdated for up to 6 months if they have a valid reason for not claiming on time. Do you feel this should be reduced in line to 1 month?

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* 7. The Government has introduced a ‘Minimum Income Floor’ for those who are self-employed and claiming universal credit. This means that anyone after an initial designated start up business period (12 months) that their income will be assumed at 35 hours a week at National Living Wage (regardless of the hours you actually work, and whether or not your income meets this level). This is proposed to incentivise people into growing and expanding their business. To what extent to do you agree/disagree this should be implemented into the local council tax support scheme?

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* 8. From April 2017 limiting the child element to two children for new claims and births after April 2017 will be introduced. We are proposing to include these restrictions to LCTS alongside housing benefit. To what extent do you agree/disagree with this change?

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* 9. Do you have any other views or comments on these proposed changes?

Thank you for taking the time to compete the Council Tax Support consultation 2017/18 document.  Your views are greatly valued and appreciated.

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