Sefton Council has agreed alteration to the Council Tax Reduction scheme for people in Sefton who are of working age and receiving Universal Credit while in employment.

Simplifying the process

Agreed at Thursday night’s meeting of the full Council , the changes will simplify the process of working out the amounts due to people who are working but on low pay, job-seekers and people on a wide range of benefits, including Universal Credit, who can also qualify for Council Tax Reduction.

Small changes in people’s circumstances that can have a minor effect on people’s Council Tax Reduction will now be ignored. Those small changes can include occasions where someone has worked a few extra hours in one month or has received a back-dated pay rise. The Department of Work and Pensions informs the Council of these changes but after they have been calculated they often make very little difference.

Working out these changes, can cost the Council more to work out than the amount it saves in a cut to the person’s Council Tax reduction.

Triple benefit

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Sefton Council's Cabinet Member for Regulatory Compliance and Corporate Services said: “These proposed changes to our Council Tax Reduction Scheme would have the triple benefit of making it easier for those households affected to pay their bills, reducing confusion for customers and saving the Council money calculating the figures.

Changes to Council Tax charges that could help make more homes available for local people to buy or rent were also agreed at the meeting.

Empty residential properties 

At Thursday night’s meeting of the full Council agreed the additional charges on residential properties that are empty or only lived in occasionally, which is in line with the Government’s 2023 Levelling Up and Regeneration Act.

At the moment, Sefton Council charges an extra 100% Council Tax if a property has been left empty and unfurnished for two years. The changes mean a 100% Council Tax premiums will be introduced on dwellings left empty for one year or more from 1^st  April 2024 and on dwellings occupied periodically, from 1st April 2025.

Bringing much-needed properties into use

After the meeting, Cllr Trish Hardy, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing said: “Over 1,400 homes in Sefton have been empty and unfurnished for a year or more and more than 40 that are furnished but are not lived in.

“We try to work with owners to bring much-needed properties into use and make them available for local people to rent or buy but this is not always impossible, which is why we are introducing these changes in line with the Government’s Levelling Up and Regeneration Act.”

Cllr Hardy added: “Any additional income raised from the premium will help support the provision of Council services.”

Advice

Owners of long-term empty properties or properties subject to prolonged legal proceedings can also seek advice for dealing with them from the Council's Housing Standards Team by e-mailing private.housing@sefton.gov.uk.

You can use this link to find out more about Council Tax in Sefton.