We use cookies to ensure our site functions properly and to store limited information about your usage. You may give or withdraw consent at any time. To find out more, read our privacy policy and cookie policy.
Manage Cookies
A cookie is information stored on your computer by a website you visit. Cookies often store your settings for a website, such as your preferred language or location. This allows the site to present you with information customized to fit your needs. As per the GDPR law, companies need to get your explicit approval to collect your data. Some of these cookies are ‘strictly necessary’ to provide the basic functions of the website and can not be turned off, while others if present, have the option of being turned off. Learn more about our Privacy and Cookie policies. These can be managed also from our cookie policy page.
Strictly necessary cookies(always on):
Necessary for enabling core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies. This cannot be turned off. e.g. Sign in, Language
Analytics cookies:
Analytical cookies help us to analyse user behaviour, mainly to see if the users are able to find and act on things that they are looking for. They allow us to recognise and count the number of visitors and to see how visitors move around our website when they are using it. Tools used: Google Analytics
No analytics cookies have been enabled on this site. There are no cookies to review.
Share Council Tax Reduction Scheme 26/27 Consultation on FacebookShare Council Tax Reduction Scheme 26/27 Consultation on TwitterShare Council Tax Reduction Scheme 26/27 Consultation on LinkedinEmail Council Tax Reduction Scheme 26/27 Consultation link
Welcome to this consultation on Ashford Borough Council's Council Tax Reduction scheme.
All proposed changes would be from 1st April 2026.
Ashford Borough Council is reviewing its Council Tax Reduction scheme – The existing scheme for Council Tax Reduction (CTR) has existed in its current form since 1 April 2020. We want to hear your views to ensure that any changes to the scheme are fair, transparent, and meets the needs of our community.
The Council Tax Reduction scheme provides support for certain taxpayers who have a low income. The Council Tax Reduction scheme, in it’s current form has been in place since April 2020, for working age residents. It offers a maximum level of support for working age applicants, which is set at 80% and a maximum level of support for vulnerable applicants (Disabled and Carers), which is set at 90%.
Under the Council Tax Reduction provisions, the scheme for pensioners is determined by Central Government. Our residents that have reached state pension age, are therefore, unaffected by any of the propose changes.
The current scheme does not fully take into account how Universal Credit income is awarded, so consideration needs to be given into amending the current scheme, to take account of the fact that all working age residents will have moved over to UC by 1 April 2026.
Key Areas of Change
We are particularly seeking your views on retaining the existing banding system but:
Offering more support than is currently available, by aligning the vulnerable scheme with the working age scheme, by introducing a banding structure for this part of the scheme and increasing the level of discount available for working age claimants to either a maximum level of support of 90% or 100%.
Now that all working age claimants will have moved over to Universal Credit from April 2026, introducing a disregard for certain elements within Universal Credit income such Limited Capability for Work, Transitional Protection, Disabled Child, Carers elements.
Simplify the schemes into two categories (as opposed to the six categories in the current scheme): one for couples and one for single claimants.
Consultation
We are inviting residents, applicants, stakeholders, and partners to share their views on the proposed changes.
We ask that feedback is received by Friday 31st October 2025.
Welcome to this consultation on Ashford Borough Council's Council Tax Reduction scheme.
All proposed changes would be from 1st April 2026.
Ashford Borough Council is reviewing its Council Tax Reduction scheme – The existing scheme for Council Tax Reduction (CTR) has existed in its current form since 1 April 2020. We want to hear your views to ensure that any changes to the scheme are fair, transparent, and meets the needs of our community.
The Council Tax Reduction scheme provides support for certain taxpayers who have a low income. The Council Tax Reduction scheme, in it’s current form has been in place since April 2020, for working age residents. It offers a maximum level of support for working age applicants, which is set at 80% and a maximum level of support for vulnerable applicants (Disabled and Carers), which is set at 90%.
Under the Council Tax Reduction provisions, the scheme for pensioners is determined by Central Government. Our residents that have reached state pension age, are therefore, unaffected by any of the propose changes.
The current scheme does not fully take into account how Universal Credit income is awarded, so consideration needs to be given into amending the current scheme, to take account of the fact that all working age residents will have moved over to UC by 1 April 2026.
Key Areas of Change
We are particularly seeking your views on retaining the existing banding system but:
Offering more support than is currently available, by aligning the vulnerable scheme with the working age scheme, by introducing a banding structure for this part of the scheme and increasing the level of discount available for working age claimants to either a maximum level of support of 90% or 100%.
Now that all working age claimants will have moved over to Universal Credit from April 2026, introducing a disregard for certain elements within Universal Credit income such Limited Capability for Work, Transitional Protection, Disabled Child, Carers elements.
Simplify the schemes into two categories (as opposed to the six categories in the current scheme): one for couples and one for single claimants.
Consultation
We are inviting residents, applicants, stakeholders, and partners to share their views on the proposed changes.
We ask that feedback is received by Friday 31st October 2025.
