Council Tax Support scheme consultation
Summary Of Our Current Scheme
Under our current scheme, there are a large number of factors which determine applicant’s awards for council tax support. These include:
- The amount and source of income in the household. Some benefits are disregarded, and some customers will see a portion of their earned income disregarded.
- The household composition (number of children, any non-dependants, whether the claimant is single or part of a couple)
- Any disabilities in the household
- The amount of capital in the household
The award for council tax support is calculated as follows:
Eligible income (total income minus any disregarded incomes)
minus
Applicable amount (made up of allowances and premiums dependant on the household composition and any disabilities)
If there is any income left, a 20% taper is applied. This is deducted from the maximum council tax support award (either 100% or 90% of liability depending on the household circumstances) to give the final award.
Due to the number of variables, it is very difficult for customers to know whether they will qualify, and each time there is a change in income the award is recalculated.