Currently, residents who are getting benefits such as Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance are given a four week extension to their Council Tax reduction when they go to work and their benefits end.

All these benefits are in the process of being replaced with Universal Credit.  Eventually everyone in receipt of working age benefits will be on Universal Credit.  There is NO four week extension for people on Universal Credit.

We propose that we don’t continue to offer a four week extension to the Council Tax reduction for residents on some benefits (listed above).

The advantages are:

  • Stopping this extension will mean everyone on benefits is treated equally. 
  • Everyone will be moving to Universal Credit, so we will have to make this change sooner or later.
  • It is a simple change to make to the scheme.
  • Administration will be simpler and that reduces costs.

However, current residents who move into work and are on the old national benefits (listed above) will lose the potential extension in the reduction of their Council Tax. 

If you know of anything else the Council needs to take into account please let us know in your response.

Read about proposal nine

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