Consultation for 2025-26
Each year we consult on our options for the Council Tax Support scheme for the following year. The consultation for the scheme for 2025-2026 is now open and runs until 8 October 2024.
Council Tax Support Scheme 2025-26 Consultation Survey (surveymonkey.com)
We are considering 2 options:
- Option 1 – To incorporate any changes made to the Housing Benefit (HB) scheme and the prescribed Council Tax Reduction scheme for pensioners during the 2024/25 financial year, and all statutory revisions announced for 2025/26. Additionally, the scheme will retain the option to make changes within the year the scheme applies where changes are made to HB scheme, prescribed Council Tax Reduction scheme and national welfare benefits, tax credits, grants and loans, where it affects the award of Council Tax Support (CTS).
- Option 2 - Continue to award Council Tax Support based on the current scheme, including the current rates of applicable amounts, personal allowances and non-dependent deductions. Not make technical adjustments to the scheme to bring it in line with the HB scheme, prescribed Council Tax Reduction scheme and national welfare benefits, tax credits, grants and loans.
See the full briefing paper for the full reasons for the consultation and the impact of the options.
Official text
By law, we have to publish the full scheme each year. The documents below are the legal text defining the scheme. You do not need to read these to make a claim.
New scheme rules come into force on 1 April each year, and are valid until 31 March of the following year.
- 2024-25 Council Tax Support Scheme
- 2023-24 Council Tax Support Scheme
- 2022-23 Council Tax Support Scheme
We publish the three most recent schemes on our website. If you need to see an older scheme, please contact us.