A complete overhaul in Council Tax support means Bromsgrove District Council will become one of only 40 councils in the country to offer up to 100% support for working age residents.

The current support scheme will be moving to a new grid scheme from 1^st April, which means residents in need of extra help will be able to claim up to 100% of their Council Tax.

Currently, residents struggling to pay their council tax can claim up to 85% of their bill but must still find the remaining 15%, which for some can be difficult. The new scheme means that residents in need can claim the full amount of their council tax.

Portfolio Holder for Finance and Enabling, Cllr Geoff Denaro, said: “We are proud to be one of only forty councils offering this level of support to residents who need it most. It’s a win-win for residents as well as the council because it means we’ll be spending less time trying to recover or write off debts, an element of the old scheme which was just not cost-effective.

“If the past year has taught us anything, it is that circumstances can change on a knife edge. If your situation has changed, please come forward and check whether you are eligible under the new scheme.”

The new scheme provides support from the day it is needed to help residents avoid crisis situations, and criteria changes mean that more residents may now be eligible for this sort of help.

Each year, across the country, over £16 billion of welfare benefits is unclaimed by people who are eligible for it. There are many reasons for this, including understanding how welfare works, those on Universal Credit not realising they may also be eligible for council tax support and the stigma around claiming benefits, even if only for a short period of time.

For more information about the new scheme or how it works go to www.bromsgrove.gov.uk/CTSBanded, email benefits@bromsgrove.gov.uk or phone us on 01527 881213.