Council Tax: Are you eligible to pay less?

An awareness campaign highlighting what support is available for vulnerable households to help pay their council tax bills is being launched by the Welsh Government.

The Welsh Government has joined forces with local authorities, MoneySavingExpert.com and third sector organisations to “develop simple and consistent advice to ensure all households in Wales have the information they need about their entitlements to council tax support.”

The move follows last year’s successful campaign and comes at a time when householders in Flintshire have faced two years of unprecedented hikes on their council tax bills.

Flintshire has just seen its biggest ever council tax rise with residents facing an extra £103 added to their bill an 8.75 per cent rise on last year.

The rise came despite warnings people in the county are already facing financial difficulties with some relying on foodbanks to feed their families.

Councillors said they were left with little option but to put rates up by som much in light of the £3.1m budget gap facing them in 2019/20.

Rebecca Evans AM, Minister for Finance and Trefnydd said:

“We have worked hard to ensure vulnerable households in Wales continue to receive council tax support as part of our Council Tax Reduction Scheme and we want to ensure all eligible households receive the discounts and exemptions they are entitled to.

We continue to make progress with the extensive programme of work to examine how the council tax system could be improved over the short, medium and longer term to deliver on our commitment to make council tax fairer.”

Householders may be entitled to pay less council tax if they:

• Live on a low income

• Live alone, or with people or children who do not pay council tax

• Are a student

• Are disabled

• Are a carer

• Are mentally impaired.

Find out if you are eligible to pay less Council Tax: Click here

The government laid regulations in the National Assembly in February to remove the sanction of imprisonment for non-payment of council tax.

Regulations were also laid in March to exempt care leavers from paying council tax up to the age of 25, both amendments are set to come into force on 1 April.

The government is also reviewing the impact and use of local authorities’ discretionary powers to apply council tax premiums and whether the new legislation, introduced in 2016, is working as intended.

Discretionary powers were introduced by the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 giving local authorities the power to increase the amount of council tax they can levy on empty homes in a bid to address issues in local housing supply.

It also means that second homes can now make a ‘fair contribution’ to the community.

The Welsh Government has also said it is exploring alternative approaches to local taxation.

“Over the course of 2018 the Welsh Government undertook evidence reviews and held discussions with its expert panel about options such as land value taxes, local income taxes and modernised versions of the existing property-based taxes.

The panel draws on expertise from economists, valuation experts, data and statistics, local government officers, experts in public service and those with the perspective of taxpayers, fairness and equality. 

“This year, we will look at the options for applying alternative approaches to the Welsh local tax-base and explore the specific barriers to moving from the current local tax regime towards alternative approaches in the future.” Said Rebecca Evans.