Council Tax

Changes to Council Tax Support Scheme means more help for residents

Acomplete overhaul in Council Tax support means Bromsgrove District Council has become one of only 40 councils in the country to offer up to 100% support for working age residents.

The current support scheme moved to a new grid scheme this month which means residents in need of extra help will be able to claim up to 100% of their Council Tax.

Councillor Geoff Denaro, portfolio holder for finance and enabling, said: “We are proud to be one of only forty councils offering this level of support to residents who need it most. It’s a win-win for residents as well as the council because it means we’ll be spending less time trying to recover or write off debts, an element of the old scheme which was just not cost-effective.

“If the past year has taught us anything, it is that circumstances can change on a knife edge. If your situation has changed, please come forward and check whether you are eligible under the new scheme.”

The scheme provides support from the day it is needed to help residents avoid crisis situations. Criteria changes mean that more residents may now be eligible.

Every year more than £16 billion of welfare benefits are unclaimed by people across the country who are eligible for them. Reasons for this include understanding how welfare works, those on Universal Credit not realising they may also be eligible for council tax support and the stigma around claiming benefits, even if only for a short period of time.

For more information about the new scheme visit www.bromsgrove.gov.uk/CTSBanded, email benefits@bromsgrove.gov.uk or call 01527 881213.

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