Issue - meetings

It is recommended that Cabinet agrees the following recommendations to be approved by Full Council:

1. That the Council Tax Support Scheme in operation in 2024/2025 (included at Appendix 1) shall continue in 2025/2026.

2. That the Council shall apply the annual uprating of allowances, applicable amounts and income, set out in the DWP Housing Benefit circular, to the Council Tax Support scheme for 2025/2026.

Councillor Rowan Ree, Cabinet Member for Finance and Reform, introduced the report noting that LBHF had the third lowest Council Tax in the country and one of the most comprehensive Council Tax Support Scheme. Four in ten households across the borough were receiving some sort of discount on their Council Tax. The Council had decided to exempt care levers and foster carers from Council Tax and was one in just three London councils offering a full 100% level of support for the most vulnerable residents. Even though funding from central government had been cut by 54% in real terms since 2010.

The Leader thanked Councillor Ree’s leadership on this scheme and the level of support provided despite the funding cut since 2010. He noted that this was thanks to the ruthless financial efficiency approach taken by the Council, stripping out wasteful Council spending and finding new ways of keeping cost low, while providing services for residents.

AGREED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE CABINET MEMBERS:

It is recommended that Cabinet agrees the following recommendations to be approved by Full Council:

1. That the Council Tax Support Scheme in operation in 2024/2025 (included at Appendix 1) shall continue in 2025/2026.

2. That the Council shall apply the annual uprating of allowances, applicable amounts and income, set out in the DWP Housing Benefit circular, to the Council Tax Support scheme for 2025/2026.