Making Council Tax support more efficient

Residents are to be consulted on proposed changes to the existing Working Age Council Tax Support Scheme.

Councillors say the current scheme is causing a huge amount of red tape, with people receiving multiple bills throughout the yeardue to what can be tiny changes in their income.

The new proposals are designed to ensure that the working age CTS scheme remains fair, efficient, and sustainable for the 7,500 people who receive it.

NB: This does NOT affect pensioners. The council tax support scheme for people of state pension age is set by central government, and cannot be changed by local councils.

Over the current financial year, residents are set to claim £13.3 million of council tax discount, of which £7.6 million will be claimed by working age households.

The council has a duty to our taxpayers to ensure any scheme is not only fair and supportive for residents, but is also affordable and sustainable.

The options will be discussed by the council’s cabinet when it meets next Wednesday (5 Nov). Whatever option is chosen, it will have to go out to public consultation before a final decision is made.

The plan is to replace the current fully means-tested model with a scheme that only takes into account income through earnings; higher income bands to prevent small income changes affecting entitlement; and retaining a capped limit on the amount of savings allowed.

Alternative options being presented would save the council considerable sums of money, but dramatically reduce the help available to residents.

Councillor Sean Thorpe, cabinet member for finance and transformation, said: “We know that many people are struggling to make ends meet, many of them working families, and need the help that the council tax support scheme provides.

“The current system, though, means that fresh bills have to be generated every time someone’s income or benefits – like Universal Credit - change by as little as £1. We receive more than 100,000 updates a year from the DWP, so it’s easy to see why this is so time-consuming and confusing.

“We anticipate that the vast majority of claimants will see little change in the amount of help they receive, and many working families are projected to receive more support.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 29 October 2025.