Tax reduction scheme for struggling families could be extended

West Suffolk Council tax reduction scheme could be extended to help families during the cost-of-living crisis.

Transcript

00:00 but for the people who were on a 92.5% reduction last year, we increased it to 100%.

00:06 We were the only council in this area within Anglia and Revenues Partnership to do so

00:12 and it was very successful and although that might not seem a lot to people on, you know,

00:18 very low incomes, any help at all is really gratefully received and so we thought it was

00:24 important at this time to renew it and keep it going for those people really. So that's the

00:33 whole point really. It's a small gesture but it's something that we can do in the middle of a cost

00:38 of living crisis. You mentioned that there were a few concerns regarding the cost of it, so what

00:45 would you say to those? It's difficult really because according to the demographic of a town,

00:51 some towns lose because obviously the town councils lose out as well because they don't

00:57 get that portion of the council tax and so some councils will say, well we've lost out

01:03 and whilst that's true, there are always winners and losers. For example,

01:10 New Safey residents, they don't actually, they are exempt from council tax so there are areas

01:18 that could say we have a very high proportion so we lose out in that instance. So I think it's like

01:24 a lot of things, there's always winners and losers but it's undoubtedly something that,

01:30 in my opinion, is exactly the right thing to do to give help to the people that need it the most.