As the cost of living crisis continues, Isle of Wight Council is to launch a consultation to consider variations to the Local Council Tax Support Scheme.
Nearly 10,000 Islanders receive council tax support this way, including those in work but below a threshold that is dependent on personal circumstances.
Currently, assistance starts at 20%, rising up in several steps to 70% maximum assistance, depending on the household and financial circumstances.
The proposal for the scheme commencing in April 2024 is to keep the scheme as it is, however, it is also seeking views on varying the maximum level of support by 5% either way.
Both alternatives have a significant impact on the council budget. Higher levels of relief would require savings and cuts elsewhere. Lower levels of relief could lead to an increase in council tax arrears and lower levels of Council Tax collection. The implications of changes to the scheme will not affect pension-age recipients of local council tax support, but could affect both working-age recipients as well as users of council services more widely and therefore will be open to all residents to participate.
The results of the consultation form part of the decision-making process for setting council tax and the overall council budget next year.
The consultation is available on the Local council tax support scheme consultation page and the closing date is 2nd October.
Copies can be obtained from council offices and libraries from this week. A large print version is available.
Clearly it is more viable to not ‘reduce’ Council tax to reduce default, as if EVERY poor persons are paying less then the Council are CERTAIN to get less. But if ONLY a few default then more income from those who don’t will boost coffers
Whatever the level their will always be some who prefer a spray tan two feet lashes and nails and whinge they are poor.
a link would have been easier, rather than having to search for the survey
Basically, this means that we will be paying more council tax to subsidise others paying less. Total and utter madness. Central government need to investigate Isle of Wight council because council tax here is just too high and we receive very little for what we are paying. That can only mean that we have a badly run council.
Agree council need’s investigation as yes council tax almost double compared to some areas andfar less services. Would be dum to try and squeeze more out of working poor who are struggling with rent/mortgage etc , will only cost more in long run with homeless children suffering and moved into care . Council tax should be on individuals not on a home. You get 10 people in HMOs using services and they pay less than a single elderly person in run down home in a village!,no street lights and no other services who’s paid taxes for 50+ year’s.Council need to tell us the administration costs of this, staffing etc. Please don’t push poor people to dispere (agree some priority having nails, hair, mobile,branded clothing etc but many don’t as well).
well freddie – there are some on this message board that bad mouth tories at every turn, yet the poll tax did exactly that – charged the individual and not the home and we all saw how that turned out
At the council meeting, OK folks we dont have enough money what we going to do about it, I know lets tinker with the council tax rebates, might get some more revenue, No we cannot do that now, thats our banker for next year and besides when we add in all th costs of implementing it we will be out of pocket, great idea, lets do that then, not our money, what do we care.
Council Tax should be abolished.
It is the most UNFAIR Tax of all.
Why should a family of 3 pay the same amount as a family of 6 or more
The larger family generates more waste etc
all direct taxes are unfair – you should be able to keep every penny you make and only pay indirect taxes on services you use etc.
Persons do in Dubai
Totally agree. Should pay for what you get like in Ireland, where they pay someone to empty their bins and you have to pay for schoolbooks for your kids, etc. In our increasingly aging society with a dwindling birth rate in the UK, it is not fair expecting the elderly and workers without children to pay for services they don’t receive. I am effectively paying over £2000 a year for my bins to be emptied!!!
The idiots who empty my bins make more of a mess once they have
been and gone.
Useless B’stards
Do they need a consultation on how to take more money off the public?
I thought they had that one down to a tee already.
I take home £17.5k and don’t get reduction, so I wonder how low the threshold is.
Much low paid then that
Yes, I wondered that!
I know so many people who only work enough basic hrs so as to get all the benefits, ie council tax reduction, universal credit, food bank etc etc, and they have a really nice lifestyle!!!!!!.
Those that have pride and work to provide for family, are penalised by paying top whack to subsidise them …..
Totally unfair….
And yes I know there are those that are genuine but a helluva lot more who are just plain lazy!!!!
And if the council didn’t waste our money we may ???????
get a reduction ,,,,, lol ….
Of course you know these people
There’s no legal requirement to pay council tax look it up
Give it a go and see where it gets you. It was tried in the 90s and people ended up in prison.
Was very peeved when I discovered my old neighbour (a single, working full time male) was paying the same as me when I had a young child!! We both got the 25% single person discount, but I was bringing up a child, too and worked what i could! Didn’t seem fair…
Totally unfair that single people get discounts when two people living together have to pay the full amount even if only one is working. Stop all of these discounts!