The Government is providing funding to support some households with
their council tax bills, in what they are calling the Hardship Fund.
Rotherham will receive a grant of £2.864m as part of the Government’s
Hardship Fund. Guidance on the administration of the scheme has now been
received and is being reviewed as a matter of priority to understand the
specific requirements of the scheme.
The Council intends to launch the scheme as soon as possible once
options for delivery have been considered.
The Government’s expectation is that the Council will provide all
recipients of working age local council tax support (LCTS) with a
further £150 reduction on their annual bill. If their liability is
already less than £150, then their bill will simply be reduced to nil.
However, the Council is in principle also able to use the scheme to
provide increased financial assistance through other local support
mechanisms.
For those facing personal financial difficulties, we will be continuing
to provide welfare advice and support as part of Rotherham’s Single
Advice Model.