Browse

Issue details

Council Tax Reduction Scheme Review

 

 

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.

Agenda items

Documents

  • Proposed chanhes to the local council tax reduction scheme, to better accomodate those in receipt of Universal Credit.