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Council tax discount for care leavers
Published: 12/07/2018
天涯社区鈥檚 Cabinet will be asked to approve the introduction
of a Council Tax discretionary discount for eligible care leavers when it meets
on 17 July.
Looked after children and care leavers are amongst the most vulnerable groups
in society. The 鈥楬idden Ambitions鈥� report, produced by the Children鈥檚
Commissioner for Wales in March 2017, highlighted the difficulties that care
leavers face in managing their money and paying bills (including payment of
Council Tax), after leaving care.
The Council has a responsibility to provide care leavers with the best future
prospects available as care leaver鈥檚 transition from local authority care into
independent living. Currently there are 75 天涯社区 care leavers, 31 aged
16-18 and 44 aged 19-25.
天涯社区鈥檚 Cabinet Member for Social Services, Councillor Christine Jones,
said:
鈥淲e want to introduce a new financial policy for care leavers, and agreement to
provide a discount of up to 100% from the payment of Council Tax to care
leavers, aged between 18 and 25, who reside in 天涯社区. Managing budgets can
be very challenging for most people, but even more so for care leavers as they
move into adulthood and adjust to independent living by themselves or with
others. We want it to take effect from 1 April this year as giving them this
discount will be a really big help for them. The scheme covers all eligible
care leavers living in 天涯社区, irrespective of their care providing
authority.
鈥淲e will also provide the young people with user-friendly information so that
they know what financial support they are entitled to get from the Council.鈥�
Welsh Government and the Children鈥檚 Commissioner for Wales are actively
encouraging local authorities to adopt a discount scheme for care leavers.
Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) also supports the introduction of the
discount scheme.