To review the assessment process by which
those in receipt of Universal Credit are awarded council tax
reduction. As the number of households in Wiltshire entitled to
Universal Credit exceeds 10,000 the impact on the ability of the
Council to deliver a precise and cost effective support scheme
using current methods is put under review. This paper looks at the
impact Universal Credit is having in Wiltshire and the processes
deployed by other councils to support those on a low income. The
paper will bring these issue together and look at the challenges
Universal Credit presents both to the organisation and the
recipient in terms of collecting council tax and the opportunities
of designing a more robust and efficient local council tax
reduction scheme. The report will provide various options and the
costs of schemes which if approved will be introduced from April
2020.
Decision type: Key
Reason Key: Expenditure > £500,000;
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Notice of proposed decision first published: 10/06/2019
Decision due: 23 Jul 2019 by Cabinet
Lead member: Cllr Philip Whitehead philip.whitehead@wiltshire.gov.uk
Lead director: Becky Hellard (Director - Finance and Procurement)
Department: Resources
Contact: Ian P Brown, Head of Revenues and Benefits Email: ianp.brown@wiltshire.gov.uk Tel: 01225 716701.
Consultation process
Any significant change to the scheme will
require public consultation. Changes to the scheme may also affect
the council tax, tax base setting process which will require
consultation with towns and parishes as well as council tax payers
in general.
Consultees
Police, Fire, voluntary sector (Welfare
Support Groups, Citizens Advice, community First) council tax payer
and those householders who are in receipt of Universal
Credit.