Issue - meetings

To consider Report No. FIN2501 (copy attached), which sets out considerations and recommendations in respect of the work undertaken by the Council Tax Support Task and Finish Group to review the Council’s Council Tax Support Scheme.

The Cabinet considered Report No. FIN2501, which set out considerations and recommendations in respect of the work undertaken by the Council Tax Support Task and Finish Group to review the Council Tax Support Scheme. The Chairman welcomed Cllr Halleh Koohestani, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and member of the Council Tax Support Task and Finish Group, who was attending to report on the Group’s considerations and recommendations.

The Cabinet were advised that the Group had met on 16th October and 4th December, 2024, where they had considered data regarding Council Tax support and the ongoing impacts of the change to 100% maximum support for those on the lowest incomes, introduced in April 2024. The Group had taken account of several factors, including collection rates, caseload data, scheme costs, comparable data from other local authorities in Hampshire, economic indicators and exceptional hardship support. It was reported that since the schemes introduction, current collection rates were at 72%, for those in receipt of Council Tax Support, compared to 62% at the same time in the previous year. It was also noted that the funds allocated to the Exceptional Hardship Fund, which had been reduced by £20k the previous year, had had very little claim against it during 2024/25. The Group felt that the scheme had worked well and committed to keeping a watching brief on its performance.

It was suggested that during 2025/26 consultation could be done with organisations, such as Step by Step and Citizens Advice Rushmoor, to assess the impacts of the scheme on their services.

The Cabinet RECOMMEND TO THE COUNCIL that

i.       the current Council Tax Scheme for working age customers continue for 2025/26, with the annual uplift to rates within the calculation mirroring that applied to national benefit rates,

ii.      the budget for Exceptional Hardship relief be maintained at £12,000, and;

iii.    minor changes, in accordance with the annual uprating amounts applied by the Department of Work and Pension, be made.