The Council welcomes your views on the following proposals to change the existing Council Tax Support Scheme from 1 April 2020.
For more information about why we are looking to change the scheme, please go to barnsley.gov.uk/council-tax-support-survey
For more information about how Council Tax Support is currently worked out, please go to barnsley.gov.uk/CTS
Glossary:
- Overall income – this is the total income received into your household, this includes all benefits, earned income, self-employed income, occupational and private pensions.
- Net income – this is the amount of income we will use to calculate the level of Council Tax Support you will receive. To work out this amount we will take any disregards or deductions, applicable to your household, off your overall income.
- Capital – this is funds held in cash, bank/building society accounts, savings accounts, ISAs, National Savings Certificates, Income Bonds, Premium Bonds, Shares, Capital from property, (list is not exhaustive).
- Premium – This is an amount that is used in the current scheme to increase your Applicable Amount.
- Applicable Amount -This is how much the government advise you can live on, based on your family’s circumstances and the income you receive.
- Disregard – This is an amount that is used to reduce your overall income (where applicable) to calculate net income on a claim.
These are the changes we are proposing to make to the scheme:
- Entitlement to the scheme is based on an income grid which looks at the makeup of a household and their net income;
- A household make up of up to two children will be used when calculating the amount of support people receive. There will no additional allowance for households with three or more children;
- No deductions will be made for additional adults living in the property;
- A standard deduction of £25 from earned income for all customers, to replace the current deduction, which is based on personal circumstances and to change the maximum level of Child Care Costs disregard in-line with the Child Care Element of Universal Credit;
- To replace the current disability premiums under the existing scheme with an equivalent income disregard;
- Income from Carers Allowance and the Carer Element of Universal Credit will not be included in the net income received into the household;
- Removing the Extended Payments provisions;
- Any changes in circumstances which change Council Tax Support entitlement will be made from the date on which the change actually occurs (rather than on a weekly basis as at present);
- People with capital over £6,000 will no longer qualify for Council Tax Support; and,
- Introduction of a minimum income for self-employed people who have been trading for more than one year. This will be 35 hours at the national living wage and 16 hours for lone parents.
We will be asking for your views on each of the above changes.