Following a consultation in autumn last year, Ipswich Borough Council will consider changes to the Local Council Tax Reduction (Working Age) scheme introduced in 2018, to help low-income households with council tax payments from April.
Executive councillors are being asked at a meeting on 7 February, to approve changes to the scheme that will increase the maximum Council Tax Reduction available to all eligible low-income households to 100% from 1 April 2023.
The scheme also introduces Income Bands for customers on Universal Credit who are employed which will allow for fluctuations in monthly earnings and remove the need for monthly adjustments.
These proposals will increase the number of customers who have no Council Tax to pay and save the Council money by cutting print and postage costs and reducing recovery action against customers with small balances.
The new scheme will also enable Government grant funding to reduce council tax bills go further. The Government wants all households receiving support to have up to £25 cut from their council tax bills from April, but in Ipswich this can be increased to up to £75.
This means that 10,406 households in Ipswich will have their council tax bills cut from April, leaving 7,685 households with no council tax at all to pay.
Residents can apply for help with their Council Tax by making a Council Tax Reduction claim. Please go to www.ipswich.gov.uk/counciltax to find out what help you may be entitled to and to make a claim.
Councillor Bryony Rudkin, Ipswich Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Communities and Sport, says:
“During the cost-of-living crisis that is facing us all, it is important for us as a Council to do all we can to help those who need it most in our town.
Improvements to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2023/24 will go a long way to provide clearer support with council tax bills for our financially vulnerable working age residents.”
Full papers for Ipswich Borough Council Executive on Tuesday 7 February 2023 at 6pm can be found online at: Agenda for Executive on Tuesday 7th February 2023, 6.00 pm | Democracy Online | Ipswich Borough Council
Image credit – Ipswich Borough Council
