Camden council want to exempt their poorest residents from having to pay council tax or be pursued by bailiffs.

[Bailiff Advice]

The following is an extract from a press article today.

 

Westminster Council already have a similar system in place. If only other local authorities could follow this example.

 

 

http://www.camdennewjournal.com/council-tax-exemptions

 

THOUSANDS of people in Camden are set to be made exempt from paying council tax to save the Town Hall cash on chasing for money they do not have.

 

Labour council chiefs are looking at a plan which would see around 11,500 of the borough's poorest residents no longer receive the bill from the Town Hall. The proposal will go out to a public consultation but could come into use next year.

 

The people who will be covered by the scheme already have a discount of around 90 per cent on their council tax bill due to their circumstances, but would move to a status of paying none at all.

 

Most are living on very low wages or entirely on benefits, and include families and disabled claimants.

 

Conservative opposition councillors said the idea was borrowed from neighbouring Westminster, where the Tories are in power.

 

In Camden, the loss of income would amount to around £1.4m a year, but the council estimates this will be offset by savings on bailiffs and court costs from no longer pursuing people and as the result of more money coming in from the recent increase in council tax.

 

“There is not much point chasing people for £100 or so bill, after the discount they already have, with court orders bailiffs if they are never going to be able to pay."

 

He added: “The rise in council tax will allow some room for redistribution. “In all, people get a good deal from the council with years of frozen council tax or below inflation rises.”

 

“They should have listened to us earlier, as in Westminster they are already doing this. The trouble with Camden though is that council tax is far too high.”

[wonkeydonkey]

The following is an extract from a press article today.

 

Westminster Council already have a similar system in place. If only other local authorities could follow this example.

 

 

http://www.camdennewjournal.com/council-tax-exemptions

THOUSANDS of people in Camden are set to be made exempt from paying council tax to save the Town Hall cash on chasing for money they do not have.

 

Labour council chiefs are looking at a plan which would see around 11,500 of the borough's poorest residents no longer receive the bill from the Town Hall. The proposal will go out to a public consultation but could come into use next year.

 

The people who will be covered by the scheme already have a discount of around 90 per cent on their council tax bill due to their circumstances, but would move to a status of paying none at all.

 

Most are living on very low wages or entirely on benefits, and include families and disabled claimants.

 

Conservative opposition councillors said the idea was borrowed from neighbouring Westminster, where the Tories are in power.

 

In Camden, the loss of income would amount to around £1.4m a year, but the council estimates this will be offset by savings on bailiffs and court costs from no longer pursuing people and as the result of more money coming in from the recent increase in council tax.

 

“There is not much point chasing people for £100 or so bill, after the discount they already have, with court orders bailiffs if they are never going to be able to pay."

 

He added: “The rise in council tax will allow some room for redistribution. “In all, people get a good deal from the council with years of frozen council tax or below inflation rises.”

 

“They should have listened to us earlier, as in Westminster they are already doing this. The trouble with Camden though is that council tax is far too high.”

 

At Last!!!!!! they have come to realise you can't get blood out of stone and it is costing them money trying to.. Imo, all councils need to ignite that spark of common sense

[brassnecked]

At Last!!!!!! they have come to realise you can't get blood out of stone and it is costing them money trying to.. Imo, all councils need to ignite that spark of common sense

If only WD, but the bailiffs will be unhappy, as their business will drop. Don't think it would go down to well in Capita infested councils with a Capita/Equita/Ross 'n Robbers stitch up.

Less victims to fleece with fees.

[DreamEater]

Wonder how the people who pay are short of the CT by a £100 or so will feel?

 

Imagine trying to tell the council "it's only £100 mate"

[Bailiff Advice]

If only WD, but the bailiffs will be unhappy, as their business will drop.

 

Over 6 million debts are enforced by bailiffs on behalf of various government agencies and I cannot see them losing too much sleep over this.

[Peterbard]

I his is a no brainier surely. £8.33 a month, I am sure the coasts pre enforcment would cover this.

[Coughdrop]

This is welcome, but it isn't the councils who forced the issue of them paying in the first place, it is the government. Not that long ago, people in this situation did not pay towards their council tax, then in April 2013 the government scrapped the national CT benefit scheme. This left councils with only 90% of the income for this they had received previously.

 

Councils were allowed to ask people of working age (not pensioners) for a contribution towards their CT for the first time, so they did. They are now realising it was a stupid idea, and getting maximum publicity for 'helping the poorest.'

 

The reality is, they are just returning the poorest to the situation they were in previously, before the council made it worse for the poorest. They are putting spin on the truth of the issue, and hoping people will swallow it!

[daverules]

The new regulations regarding CT as from April this year is that everyone

has to pay an amount towards it, some are only£20 per month but take that

off an income of £480 a month (based on ESA) dose not seem a lot but that

£20 is a lot to the person.

 

Regards to all

[Coughdrop]

The new regulations regarding CT as from April this year is that everyone

has to pay an amount towards it, some are only£20 per month but take that

off an income of £480 a month (based on ESA) dose not seem a lot but that

£20 is a lot to the person.

 

Regards to all

 

I think you're referring to the default government scheme. Councils to not have to adopt this though, no more than they had to start charging people in 2013.

 

It's worth mentioning that even if people are awarded maximum CTR, councils still have the discretion to reduce the amount paid, or even cancel the entire bill.