Issue - meetings

The Chief Operating Officer to present a report which asks Executive to recommend that Council amend the Council Tax Support scheme, following consultation on implementing a De Minimis limit in respect of a change in financial income before customers in receipt of council tax support are issued with an adjustment notice (revised bill).       

Recommended:  That Council approve an amendment to the CTS scheme to implement a De Minimis limit of £2.50 before a council tax support customer is required to receive a revised council tax bill.

Reason:              To support financial inclusion and protect financially vulnerable customers from confusing and unnecessary multiple bills.

The Assistant Director of Customers & Digital Services presented a report which recommended an amendment to the council’s Council Tax Support (CTS) scheme, following consultation on implementing a De Minimis limit in respect of any change to a CTS customer’s personal income before issuing them with a revised bill.

The amendment was proposed to prevent customers from receiving multiple council tax bills resulting from the fluctuation of levels of Universal Credit with every change in income, however small.  As required by law, a consultation had been carried out, via the questionnaire attached as Annex A to the report.  Responses, as shown in Annex B, had been positive, with over 75% of respondents in favour of the proposals.  Support would be made available through the Discretionary Council Tax Reduction scheme to those customers negatively affected by income changes within the tolerance limit.

Recommended:  That Council approve an amendment to the CTS scheme to implement a De Minimis limit of £2.50 before a council tax support customer is required to receive a revised council tax bill.

Reason:              To support financial inclusion and protect financially vulnerable customers from confusing and unnecessary multiple bills.