Over 3,000 households are set to benefit from an additional reduction in council tax this year. Up to £120 will automatically be credited to the accounts of pensioners who qualify for the discount.
Cardiff Council’s Pensioner Reduction Scheme is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government. There is no need to apply for the reduction or contact the council as the money will be allocated to council tax accounts which meet the correct criteria.
To be eligible for the scheme, the person concerned must be:
- liable to pay council tax in respect of a chargeable dwelling which was their sole or main residence on June 1, 2010
- one of the persons liable must have reached the age of 60 or over by June 1, 2010
- he or she must be in receipt of partial council tax benefit as at June 1, 2010
Where two or more people are jointly liable for council tax, they will be eligible for the reduction if one or all of them meet the criteria.
Following implementation of the scheme, any money remaining from the Welsh Assembly Government’s allocation to Cardiff will be used in conjunction with Age Concern. Both the council and the charity are proactively encouraging take-up of benefits in pensioner households and these funds will contribute to that scheme.
Executive Member for Finance Councillor Mark Stephens said: “I am delighted Cardiff is able to work with the Welsh Assembly Government to adopt the Pensioner Reduction Scheme. We are committed to giving extra help to the households most in need and the council has worked hard to ensure this is the best and most appropriate discount plan to offer.”
