Claimants may not be exempt from council tax

Government changes mean that local authorities must introduce their own council tax support scheme from January, while funding from the Government is set to be cut by at least ten per cent.

Although consultations with Warwickshire County Council, the county’s police authority and residents are still to take place, members of the district council’s executive last week approved proposals to officials’ suggestions for changes to its current scheme.

These include lowering the cut-off level of savings people have to qualify them to apply for council tax support from below £16,000 to below £10,000 and to lower the level of savings that are disregarded in assessments from £6,000 to £3,000.

Proposals also suggest that child benefit a person is claiming for their first child should be ignored when calculations are being made with regards to council tax support.