People living in the lowest income households will benefit from an extra 5% reduction in their council tax, following a decision taken by Ealing Council.
This means they will be eligible to receive an 80% reduction from April. Their current reduction is 75% as part of the council tax reduction (CTR) scheme – which is there to help residents in most need.
The decision was taken by the council’s cabinet last night (Wednesday, 7 Dec) following a consultation with residents that closed last month.
From 1 April 2023 the change will increase the entitlement for working age claimants who fall into the non-protected category with a weekly net household income of no more than £124.33, which rises to £136.89 from 1 April 2023. Pensioners and other income bands will not be affected by this change, and they will continue to receive the same level of support they currently receive.
The CTR scheme is already available to those who struggle to pay the full council tax and, in some instances, those eligible can receive 100% council tax reduction.
Councillor Steve Donnelly, the council’s cabinet member for inclusive economy, said: “This fulfils the commitment we made in Labour’s 2022 manifesto to maintain and expand our council tax reduction scheme to support and protect those who cannot afford to pay. This will make a real difference to the lives of a significant number of residents during these hard economic times. This increased reduction will help those in greatest need to cope with the rise in the cost of living, so there is less to pay towards council tax and the money they save can be put towards other essentials such as heating and food.”
Almost 5,000 households currently receive the 75% council tax award.
The change will come into effect from 1 April 2023, subject to a call-in period of 14 days.
Funding for voluntary groups
The council’s cabinet also voted to provide an increase of 5% next year towards its funding programme for the borough’s voluntary and community sector. The funding will support activities aimed at improving opportunities for residents and tackling inequality.
