Vulnerable residents across the Island could get a further helping hand paying their council tax bills next year.
Last year, the Isle of Wight Council’s Alliance Administration promised to increase the amount of support given via the council tax support scheme (LCTS) to help with the rising cost of living.
In the current year, those in receipt of the LCTS get up to 65% off their council tax bill. But from April, they could get up to 70% discounted — depending on whether the council can afford it or not.
When deciding whether to increase the support, officers say the council must have regard to the council’s current financial pressures.
A council report has shown reducing the level of support has meant more claimants are struggling to pay their remaining level of council tax and debt among LCTS claimants has been increasing. Overall, the debt of LCTS cases since 2013 now equates to more than £2million with the council continuing collection.
If it is agreed to increase the scheme, it would cost the council another £359,821.
More than 270 people responded to the council’s consultation on the LCTS and the majority agreed with increasing the support.
The exceptional hardship fund is also available to residents in receipt of the LCTS, who are in suffering hardship to receive extra assistance in paying their council tax.
Cabinet will be considering whether to increase the LCTS first, at its meeting on Thursday (10th November) before it heads to full council for the final decision.
meanwhile benefits will go up in line with inflation and the rest of us working taxpayers will be expected to pay more to subsidise the scroungers
That’s a disgusting attitude. I’m a lone parent that gets 3 hours a day free time. I should be left to starve though yeah?. In the cold. Add you’re real name and I might take you seriously. perhaps appreciate the luxuries you have that I don’t before you begrudge me food and warm. idiot.
why should others be expected to subsidise you and your lifestyle choices- perhaps you should get a job then
Your choice ingrate. What makes you think all those struggling whilst actually working should pay more for you.
What a horrible person. We are not scroungers. I’ve worked nearly all my life from school. I had 2 hip replacements and could not carry on working, although I loved my bus driving job. I hate claiming benefits but I’ve paid national insurance since school so I’m not a scrounger. It’s the youngsters that r scroungers. They sit down our high street drinking, doing drugs it’s disgusting and they get away with it. Who in their right mind would employ them anyway. If there was a war they’d all run or hide in their bedrooms in front of a computer game. They r the scroungers. Get it right!
so, you didn’t think of getting some other skills, where you could get a sit down job then, such as office work, call centre, checkout operator. The idea of hip replacements puts you back on your feet – so, stop making excuses, retrain and find something else to do, instead of just being a burden on society.
Yes, give all the scroungers even more, why should they have to work like everyone else? It pays to just stay at home and claim all the benefits under the sun these days.
Then if you believe that become a ” scrounger ” yourself, give up work and live the high life claiming benefits, I am sure you will be living in luxury without a care in the world.
So now give up work and get back on here and tell us all how much better off you are.
in the news yesterday there was a family with seven kids in eastbourne, where the parents were jailed for neglect who were getting £7,000 a month in benefits as highlighted by the judge in the case.
you tell me that working pays – for a worker to get £7,000 a month, which is £84, 000 a year, they would need to earn nearly £150,000 before tax.
Don’t tar everyone with the same brush, not everyone is a scrounger who claims benefits, a lot of people in work claim benefits to make up for low wages, there are also people who can’t work for health reasons, and inevitably there are those who work the system and cheat their way into benefits.
In all walks of life there are cheats and there are those who can’t provide for themselves for a variety of reasons. Those who through no fault of their own who require financial help are not all scroungers.
There was a pensioner who was jailed for raping a child.
By your logic that makes all pensioners dangerous paedophiles.
Robbing bastards.
They shafted a lot of vulnerable people who receive PIP, who work but live with a disability of some kind which mostly holds them back from being high or even average earners.
So now those folks are going to have to pay even more to make the council look good. What a bunch.
So benefit scroungers get even more handouts, while people who work hard and get paid very little get nothing, how is this fair. Should be cutting the help and benefits. Sick and tired of seeing methadone scroungers rolling out of the chemists and bragging how hard up they are to there dealer mates on their expensive phones. This has got to stop.
Help for pensioners only. We’re all struggling, let the lazy, feckless pay. Council are a disgrace, secrecy and only interested in the do nothing brigade.
So 270 recipients agree with more help. Council, should not ignore the other 130000 who don’t agree.