Have your say on council tax support

A number of changes are being considered to help simply the administration and claims process, give customers financial support and reduce the number of reassessments that are currently carried out each year.

Cllr Rowena Hay, cabinet member for finance, says: “There are currently 3,600 working age people in Cheltenham who receive council tax support and we need to review our scheme to make it quicker and easier for people to access the help that they need.

“Many are unemployed or unable to work due to illness and will receive 100 per cent council tax support which means that they do not pay any council tax. Other current recipients receive council tax support based on the income they have. Any increase or decrease in their income has an effect on the amount of council tax support they are awarded, and every time a reassessment is carried out a new council tax bill is issued with revised instalments.

“We hope that people will make time to complete the survey and tell us which their preferred option is. This will help us shape our new scheme.”

For more information about the options and to complete the survey, visit the council’s webpages.

For press enquiries, contact: Laura Carter, communications officer, telephone 01242 264154, email [email protected]

Notes:
Council tax support is a council tax discount and if awarded it will reduce a person’s council tax payments. Any person who is liable for council tax can apply. The level of discount awarded is currently based on the income and capital the claimant and partner has, whether they have dependent children or other adults living in the household, referred to as non-dependants. Other factors such as certain expenses to assist with childcare payments, disabilities and whether a person falls into a group considered to need more support are also taken into account.

All, some, or none of these factors can be taken into consideration when devising a council tax support scheme.