Council Tax Support

Monday, May 21, 2012

Welfare Reform Universal Credit Housing Benefit
Housing Benefit Tax Credits Employment & Support Allow Benefits Cap Universal Credit Disability Living Allow Council Tax Support Social Fund Other Reform

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Council Tax Support
		In its Spending Review 2010 the Government announced that it would localise support for council tax from 2013-14, reducing expenditure by 10 per cent. Section 33 of the Welfare Reform Bill, that received Royal Assent on 8th March 2012, contains provisions for the abolition of Council Tax Benefit. With the first reading of the Local Government Finance Bill in Parliament at the end of December 2011, the foundations have been laid for the establishment of these localised council tax support schemes in England.
It is intended that Local Authorities and the Scottish and Welsh Governments will establish their own local schemes by April 2013. Although there is concern that the IT requirements to support the new schemes will not be in place - click here for more information. The Government announced in Budget 2012 (para 2.29) that they will provide £30m to Local Authorities in England towards the transitional costs to the new local support schemes for council tax. In April 2012 the Scottish Government and COSLA announced that it is going to cover shortfall in Council Tax support for the 2013/14 billing year. Click here for more information. Localisation is intended to help deliver savings of around £500m a year on the current the Council Tax Benefit bill across Great Britain.