Consultation on council tax support to take place in South Tyneside

South Tyneside Council will soon be kicking off an eight-week consultation period on changes to its local council tax support scheme in a bid to bring it in line with ambitions to “target support to make things fairer”.

The move was unanimously approved at the latest meeting of the local authority’s leading cabinet on Wednesday (July 12).

The current system is administered to over 10,000 working age people and is reviewed annually.

Cllr Joanne Bell, lead member for governance, finance and corporate services, speaking at the meeting, said the new banded scheme would benefit residents who receive council tax support.

She said: “Two of the council’s core ambitions is to enhance financial security for our residents and target support to make things fairer.

“To assist meeting those ambitions significant changes to our council tax reduction scheme are proposed.

“These will provide greater assistance to those on the lowest incomes to meet the cost of their council tax bills.”

She added they will aim to “consult and listen to as many views as possible”.

Entitlement under the current scheme is determined through the award of personal allowance, premiums, and tapers, with council chiefs noting this can be “difficult for customers to understand”.

Under the proposed new scheme, they would fall into one of five groups based upon income levels and household circumstances and the amount of support awarded will be clearly linked to each group.

Changes would only come for residents if their new net income or household circumstances resulted in them moving into a different group.

A set percentage reduction will apply to those customers in receipt of a passported benefit and on the lowest incomes.

Claimants of pensionable age will remain eligible for up to 100% of support towards their council tax liability.

Following the consultation a report will go before the council to consider responses and determine how the scheme, which would apply from April 2024, will operate.

Consultation on the proposals will open on Monday 17th July and run until 11th September 2023, with all residents impacted directly by the change to be written to by the local authority.

The questionnaire will be available on the council’s website at www.southtyneside.gov.uk/haveyoursay

Hard copies will be available at South Shields Town Hall, Jarrow Town Hall, The Word, Hebburn Central, Jarrow Focus and Cleadon Park Library.