Consultation for proposed changes to the Council Tax Support Scheme opens
The Forest of Dean District Council are consulting on proposed changes to their Council Tax Support Scheme. The consultation will be open until midnight Sunday 18 October 2020.
All responses will be collated and presented to the council in December 2020. Full details of the new scheme will then be published in early 2021 to be launched on 1 April 2021.
Council Tax Support provides low income households, both in and out of work, with help to pay their council tax. Any owner, occupiers or tenant aged 18 or over who is legally responsible for the council tax can make a claim for Council Tax Support.
Since 2013 the fully government funded Council Tax Benefit was replaced by local Council Tax Support (CTS) schemes, alongside a 10% decrease in government funding. The current scheme costs in the region of £5 million a year and is no longer financially sustainable.
The Council are proposing to move to a Banded Scheme. There are no proposed changes to other Council tax discounts and exemptions. We know some households are under extreme financial pressure and will have a hardship fund available to support people who may struggle with their Council Tax.
Cllr Richard Leppington, Cabinet member for Finance says: “This decision to go to consultation is one the Cabinet has considered very carefully. With the financial circumstances the council faces due to government cutbacks we must look at all ways to continue to provide the services that residents value the most. We have worked to ensure that the new scheme will safeguard those most vulnerable and offer a hardship fund to residents that may struggle with the changes.”
For more information and to take the survey, visit our website: