Civic chiefs have voted to safeguard the support they provide to thousands of struggling households in Cheltenham. People really struggling to make ends meet will continue to be able to claim a council tax discount of up to 100 per cent.
And Armed Forces veterans who are in receipt of compensation payments will now no longer lose out as a result as this payment. It will not be considered as income by Cheltenham Borough Council when assessing claims.
As of October this year, just under £4.4 million was being awarded to 4,369 working age people. Some 2,540 of these recipients, which is 58 per cent, are receiving the maximum 100 per cent support due to being on the lowest incomes.
Finance and assets cabinet member Alisha Lewis (LD, Oakley) told the meeting at the Municipal Offices on December 16 that council tax support is one of the most powerful levers the authority has to keep money in the pockets of people in Cheltenham who are struggling to make ends meet.
She said the council has found a way to be more generous this year and provide more support during tough times.
Cllr Lewis highlighted the opening of a new category of support to ensure Armed Forces personnel who receive compensation due to injury do not lose council tax support as a result of this.
The council voted unanimously to approve the local council tax support scheme.
(Image: Carmelo Garcia)
“It’s one of the best things we do. Cheltenham has quite possibly one of the most generous policies in this regard of any council I’ve worked with and with any finance cabinet member I’ve spoken to across the country.”
“We will be disregarding payments that come through that Armed Forces compensation scheme as income. One thing we knew is that there were so many people in Cheltenham who were just above that line for council tax support.
“Now we are disregarding it. We are going to help a lot of Armed Forces veterans across Cheltenham have a little bit more money in their pockets this Christmas and move forward.”
The council voted unanimously to approve the local council tax support scheme.