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Cost of living support

Financial advice and emotional support on how you can ease the cost of living squeeze.

About LCTS

'From 1 April 2013 Council Tax Benefit was abolished and replaced instead with a Localised Council Tax Support Scheme (LCTS).

What is LCTS

Each local authority gets a fixed yearly payment from central government to pay the LCTS to the entitled residents. Government funding allocated to councils for LCTS has fallen to below 90% of its previous Council Tax benefit spend. Uttlesford District Council has worked in conjunction with other Essex authorities to determine who would be entitled to have their Council Tax charge reduced, taking into account the funding cut and protecting pensioners.

Protections for pensioners

The people protected from this scheme are:

  • single people who reached the qualifying age for state pension credit so long as they are not claiming Income Support, income based Jobseekers Allowance or income related Employment and Support Allowance.
  • couples where at least one member has reached the qualifying age for state pension credit and neither are claiming Income Support, income based Jobseekers Allowance or income related Employment and Support Allowance.

These protected pensioners get LCTS, which is still means tested, and the calculation is on a very similar basis to the Council Tax Benefit and Second Adult Rebate rules.

The scheme for working age people

It has been decided that the current scheme for Uttlesford District Council will include the following restrictions/changes:

  • maximum support will be 87.5% not the current 100%.
  • second Adult Rebate will not be paid where the person responsible (liable) for the Council Tax at the property is under pensionable age
  • for those where a "passported" benefit is not in payment, a wages disregard for everyone will be £25 a week (working means more than 16 hours a week as an employee or self-employed. The additional disregard of £17.10 for those working more than 30 hours will be retained)
  • maximum capital "cut off" will remain at £16,000
  • child benefit, child maintenance and war pensions will continue to be disregarded
  • there will be a minimum award of £2 per week
  • a family premium will not be included in the calculation of new claims
  • the work related work activity component will not be included in the calculation of new claims
  • new claims can only be backdated for a maximum of 1 month
  • a period of absence from Great Britain is reduced to 4 weeks whilst still being able to claim

Uttlesford District Council will also protect anyone entitled to Personal Independent Payments, Disability Living Allowance or Carers Allowance.

Working age non protected people will have to pay at least 12.5% of their Council Tax bill.

How is it calculated

From 31 March 2013, the Government ended Council Tax Benefit as part of its Welfare Reform Act and it has been replaced by a new local scheme called Local Council Tax Support (LCTS), which has been designed and run by each council. Government funding allocated to councils for LCTS will fall to below 90% of its previous Council Tax Benefit spend.

How the 2024/25 scheme was agreed

Uttlesford District Council approved on 2 November 2023 the following in respect of the 2024/25 LCTS Scheme.

The contribution rate is frozen at 12.5%

The council continues to protect Vulnerable and Disabled Residents and Carers on a low income.

Uttlesford District Council - Council Tax Reduction Scheme Policy 13a and Schedule 1a of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 .

How the 2022/23 scheme was agreed

Uttlesford District Council approved on 7 December 2021 the following in respect of the 2022/23 LCTS Scheme.

The 2022/23 LCTS scheme is set on the same basis as the 2021/22 scheme.

The contribution rate is frozen  at 12.5%.

The Council continues to protect Vulnerable and Disabled Residents and Carer's on a low income.

Uttlesford District Council - Council Tax Reduction Scheme Policy 13a and Schedule 1a of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 Rules for the 2023/24 LCTS scheme (PDF, 1 MB).

How the 2021/22 scheme was agreed

Uttlesford District Council approved on 8 December 2020 the following in respect of the 2021/22 LCTS Scheme.

The 2021/22 LCTS scheme is set on the same basis as the 2020/21 scheme.

The contribution rate is frozen  at 12.5%.

The Council continues to protect Vulnerable and Disabled Residents and Carer's on a low income.

How the 2020/21 scheme was agreed

Uttlesford District Council approved on 16 December 2020 the following in respect of the 2020/21 LCTS Scheme.

The 2020/21 LCTS scheme is set on the same basis as the 2019/20 scheme.

The contribution rate is frozen  at 12.5%.

The Council continues to protect Vulnerable and Disabled Residents and Carer's on a low income.

How the 2019/20 scheme was agreed

Uttlesford District Council approved on 4 December 2018 the following in respect of the 2019/20 LCTS Scheme.

The 2019/20 LCTS scheme is set on the same basis as the 2018/19 scheme.

The Council continues to protect Vulnerable and Disabled Residents and Carer's on a low income

The premium applied to properties empty for a period of more than 2 years is increased from 50% to 100%

Uttlesford District Council - Council Tax Reduction Scheme Policy 13a and Schedule 1a of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 Rules for the 2019/20 LCTS scheme (PDF, 1 MB)

How the 2018/19 scheme was agreed

Uttlesford District Council approved on 7 December 2017 the following in respect of the 2018/19 LCTS Scheme.

Contribution rate to remain at 12.5%

Continuation of protection for pensioners and vulnerable people

100% Removal of the discretionary grant to Town and Parish Councils

Uttlesford District Council - Council Tax Reduction Scheme Policy 13a and Schedule 1a of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 Rules for the 2018/19 LCTS scheme (PDF, 1 MB)

How the 2017/18 scheme was agreed

To align with Housing Benefits reforms, Uttlesford District Council approved on 8 December 2016 the following alignments to the 2017/18 LCTS Scheme.

a) The removal of the family premium for all new working age claimants,

b) The reduction of backdating of a claim to 1 month,

c) The removal of the element of the work related activity component for new employment and support allowance applicants,

d) The reduction of absence from Great Britain from 13 weeks to 4 weeks whilst still being able to claim LCTS.

Uttlesford District Council chose not to align with the limitations of two children being included within calculations and the removal of the severe disability premiums.

Uttlesford District Council - Council Tax Reduction Scheme Policy 13a and Schedule 1a of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 Rules for the 2017/18 LCTS scheme (PDF, 1 MB)

How the 2016/17 scheme was agreed

Uttlesford District Council resolved on 10 December 2015 that no adjustments would be made to the 2015/16 LCTS Scheme. The policy was approved on 19 March 2015.

Uttlesford District Council - Council Tax Reduction Scheme Policy 13a and Schedule 1a of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 Rules for the 2016/17 LCTS scheme (PDF, 1 MB)

How the 2015/16 scheme was agreed

Uttlesford District Council resolved on 17 September 2014 that no adjustments would be made to the 2015/16 LCTS Scheme. The policy was approved on 19 March 2015.

Uttlesford District Council - Council Tax Reduction Scheme Policy 13a and Schedule 1a of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 Rules for the 2015/16 LCTS scheme (PDF, 1 MB)

How the 2014/15 scheme was agreed

Following consultation Uttlesford District Council changed its proposals which were considered at the Full Council at the meeting on 10 December 2013

Uttlesford District Council - Council Tax Reduction Scheme Policy 13a and Schedule 1a of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 Rules for the 2014/15 LCTS scheme (PDF, 1 MB)

 

Consultation

Each year the council must consult on the proposed scheme for the following year.

The results of the consultation on the council's LCTS scheme for 2024-25 (PDF) [2MB] were considered by councillors and the scheme was agreed by Cabinet on 2 November 2023.

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