Council Tax Benefit Support in Shepway

An email arrives from Shepway District Council:

"From 1 April 2013, under planned welfare reform, the government abolished Council Tax Benefit. Shepway, like other councils, replaced it with its own scheme called Council Tax Reduction. At the time we proposed a scheme that meant that all working age customers would pay a minimum of 18.5% of their Council Tax liability. However, at the end of 2012 the Government offered all councils some additional funding which meant that we could reduce this to 8.5% for the first year.

"The Government have said that there will no further additional funding available for future years and from 1 April 2014 Shepway propose to revert to our original scheme which means that all working age customers will pay a minimum of 18.5% of their Council Tax liability.

"We have sent you this survey because we want to seek the views of our Council Tax payers before deciding on the final scheme. This is your opportunity to influence the final decision and share your views.

"Please take a few minutes to tell us what you think and complete this survey online by 27 December 2013, through our website at www.shepway.gov.uk/counciltaxsupport. Further information about the scheme can be found on this website."

Please do go and have your say on their survey. I have already done so, questioning what the point is of trying to take more Council Tax from those on lowest incomes who SIMPLY DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY. This will lead to more expensive court actions, more heartache for residents, and no good financial return to Shepway - what are those residents supposed to pay with?

Some other Councils have removed discounts on empty homes instead of seeking to claim money from those on the lowest incomes - would that not be better than pursuing low income residents for money they simply do not have?