Council Tax Reduction Scheme

    Somerset Residents are being encouraged to have their say on possible changes to a scheme that gives financial support to working age adults on low incomes.

    In November 2023, Somerset Council declared a financial emergency due to increasing costs of providing key services and agreed to a number of actions to reduce spending. This included a commitment to consult with the public on potential changes to the Council Tax Reduction scheme. Council Tax Reduction is a discount offered for Council Tax payers on low incomes. 

    The proposed changes would only apply to working age adults, the support provided for pensioners would not be affected. The options for consideration include reducing the maximum available discount from 100% to 75%.

    Leader of Somerset Council, Councillor Bill Revans says they have no choice but to consider all available options to cut spending, due to the poor state of the Council’s finances. Any decision to reduce the discount available to qualifying council tax payers will not be taken lightly and ask that as many people as possible take part in the consultation so the Council can consider every impact before any decisions are made.

    To have your say or find out more about the proposals, go to the Somerset Council website.

    The consultation runs until October First, with any decisions taking place later in the year and any changes coming into effect from 1 April 2025.

    More from Community & Charity News

    • Adrian Dening's Stars Over Somerset

      Monday 1st to Sunday 7th September 2025

    • Improved Transport Links

      Somerset could benefit from safer roads, more trains, and improved links to local employment under a range of major transport schemes proposed by the Peninsula Transport group.

    • Courier Fraud

      Avon and Somerset Police are asking jewellers, taxi and private vehicle hire drivers, for help with tackling so-called courier fraud.

    • Adrian Dening's Stars Over Somerset

      Monday 25th to Sunday 31st August 2025

    • Wheelie Bins

      Somerset Council and its waste collections contractor SUEZ are urging people not to put gas canisters in kerbside recycling bins.

    • Bus Route Changes

      Changes to Somerset bus routes have been made with new stops added and times revised.

    • False Fire Alarms

      Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service says it’s dealing with an increase in false alarm calls.

    • Dog DNA

      Avon and Somerset Police are encouraging dog owners to protect their pets from theft by entering their details into a DNA doggy database.

    Today's Weather

    • Yeovil

      Light rain shower

      High: 19°C | Low: 12°C

    • Chard

      Light rain shower

      High: 18°C | Low: 11°C

    • Crewkerne

      Light rain shower

      High: 18°C | Low: 11°C

    • Somerton

      Light rain shower

      High: 19°C | Low: 11°C

    • Wincanton

      Light rain shower

      High: 18°C | Low: 11°C

    Recently Played