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RESOLVED: That Cabinet:
 
(1)  
Noted the cost of the scheme was currently
£9.18m noting that this is not an actual cost but a reduction
of the amount of council tax collected.

 
(2)  
Noted that the Discretionary Exceptional Hardship
Scheme, previously agreed to provide additional transitional
support would continue to be used to support cases of exceptional
hardship.
 
RECOMMENDED
TO COUNCIL:  That the continuation of the banded scheme for working age applicants
which remains largely unchanged for 2025/2026, a small adjustment
to the income bands to reflect CPI has been incorporated to ensure
the scheme continues to support those most in
need.
 
REASON FOR
RECOMMENDATION:  To ensure that
the Council has a Council Tax Reduction Scheme that continues
to:
 
·      
Provide the greatest support to the lowest income households.
·      
Reduce the administrative burden that has been placed on the
Council since the introduction of Universal Credit (UC).
·      
Be simple to understand, meaning that customers will be able to
calculate entitlement and assess the impact of potential changes in
circumstances.