Consultation Responses

The proposals in this consultation sought to localise Council Tax benefit policy, with local authorities receiving a fixed budget for Council Tax benefit. The Government also aimed to reduce expenditure by 10 per cent.

The Association of North East Councils' response noted that protecting vulnerable groups such as older people would be difficult, given that around half of Council Tax benefit in the North East is awarded to pensioners. It also highlighted that the 10% reduction would equate to a loss of more than £27m in the North East, leaving a small group of working age claimants paying for the full reduction which will result in a loss of up to 50% of their current benefit entitlement. Further concerns were raised such as existing difficulties in collecting Council Tax, timescales and lack of detail in the proposals.