Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2025-26

Have your say on the Council Tax Reduction Scheme for working-age residents in Redbridge

Background

Council Tax Reduction provides financial help for residents with low incomes or those receiving certain benefits, reducing the amount they must pay towards their Council Tax bill. Each local council is required to design its own scheme specifically for working-age residents.

Council Tax support for pension age households is set by central government so these residents are not impacted by local schemes.

In April 2020 the current banded scheme was introduced. The scheme and bands can be found here

We know many of our residents are feeling the squeeze from the increased cost of energy, petrol, and food prices. We continue to provide discretionary payments to Council Tax payers who are vulnerable and experiencing financial hardship. We work with our partners across the public and voluntary sectors to ensure we continue to support those who need it, particularly those who are vulnerable and hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis. For more information about the support available to local people, please visit our dedicated websites:

• Cost of Living
• Benefits

Redbridge Council, like all local authorities, continue to face additional budgetary pressures including the rising costs in energy and fuel charges, inflation, and a reduction in funding. Despite this, and although our Council Tax Reduction scheme is not fully funded by Central Government, we currently support over 17,000 residents with their Council Tax liability. For the year 2023/2024, the cost of the scheme was £19,189m.

To find out more about Council Tax please click here

Our proposal

Your opinion is important to us so we would like you to have your say on the Council’s proposals for the Council Tax Reduction scheme for financial year 25/26. In proposing these options, full consideration has been given to several important factors including:

• Simplicity and Stability: We have ensured that the proposed scheme remains straightforward and reliable for working-age residents. It is essential that the scheme is easy to understand and consistent, so residents can navigate it with confidence.
• Ongoing Support Amid Financial Challenges: Recognising the ongoing cost-of-living and financial crises, our proposals are designed to continue offering crucial support to those who need it most.
• Encouraging Financial Resilience: We are committed to helping residents not only cope with immediate financial difficulties but also build long-term financial resilience. We continue to support residents in becoming more financially independent and secure in the future.
• Balancing Support with Sustainability: While we strive to provide financial stability to our residents, we must also ensure that the Council’s wider budget remains sustainable. Our proposals aim to strike a careful balance between offering necessary support and maintaining a scheme that is financially viable for the whole community.