An enhanced Council Tax Reduction Scheme has been approved, providing residents with more financial support

Residents on low incomes are entitled to have their Council Tax reduced – sometimes to zero.

As of 1 April 2024, residents can earn more compared to last year and still receive help with their Council Tax.

Under the enhanced scheme, a single person could receive a 100% reduction in their Council Tax if their earnings are up to £103.82 a week; a couple with no children could earn up to £153.32 a week; a couple or lone parent with one child could earn up to £214.90 and a couple/lone parent with two or more children could earn up to £275.25.

Councillor Rachel Millward, Alliance for Wealden (Green Party), and lead councillor for Housing & Benefits and deputy leader of the council, said, “I am so pleased that the council has agreed to increase income bandings for the 2024 Council Tax Reduction Scheme.

“Last year the council increased the maximum level of reduction of Council Tax to 100%. This has worked well and, perhaps surprisingly, we have collected more Council Tax following this change, even in this Cost-of-Living crisis.

“The scheme uses income bands to decide how big a reduction a household can have. Residents’ pay may well have gone up last year, but costs have risen even more. So, if the bands had stayed the same, they might have lost out under the scheme. So, we have increased the amounts that households can earn and still qualify for the scheme.

“This will make a real difference to our most financially vulnerable Council Tax payers at a time when so many are struggling to make ends meet.”