Council tax benefit changes to be decided this week (From Haringey Independent)

Council tax benefit changes to be decided this week

10:00am Sunday 13th January 2013 in News By Bruce Thain

Changes to council tax benefit will be decided at a meeting this week.

At a meeting of the full council on Thursday January 17, Haringey Borough Council will decided a new council tax benefit scheme.

The Government is abolishing the current benefit from April 1 this year and the local authority has been being given control of benefits.

The council plans to apply the Government cut to council tax funds as fairly as possible so those who currently receive 100 per cent council tax benefit will have to pay 20 per cent of their full council tax bill under the new proposals.

Under the plans every household of working age would have to pay something towards their council tax bill as reported in the Haringey Independent last year.

Currently 25,560 households in the Borough receive complete support of 100 per cent council tax benefit, meaning they don't pay anything towards their council tax bill.

The Treasury is cutting council tax benefit funding by ten per cent, which is hoped it will save approximately £500million per year.

Under the proposals pensioners who receive council tax will receive the same level of support.