Council to consult on Local Council Tax Support Scheme
Wednesday, 8 October 2025
At a meeting on 7 October, Central Bedfordshire Council’s Executive agreed plans to consult on its Local Council Tax Support Scheme (LCTS) for working-age claimants.
A proposal was put forward at the meeting and will be considered at the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee in November before a public consultation is launched towards the end of the year.
The LCTS scheme helps working age residents on low incomes by reducing the amount of Council Tax they need to pay. Under the current scheme, 9,371 households receive support and 7,141 of these receive 100% support – meaning they pay no Council Tax at all, this has increased from 5,340 claimants in 2022/23. The cost of providing this support is £14million and with demand increasing, the cost is rising.
Under the proposals, support would be reduced incrementally depending on household income. Those with the lowest incomes would continue to receive the most help, while those with higher incomes would be asked to contribute more. Pensioners will not be affected. The consultation will give residents and stakeholders the opportunity to share their views on proposed changes to the scheme, and details on how to take part will be shared once the consultation starts.
Councillor John Baker, Executive Member for Finance, said:
“We have been open about the fact that we are facing significant financial challenges. These are not unique to Central Bedfordshire; councils across the country are dealing with the same issues. With the government also proposing changes to how councils are funded, it’s likely we will have to make further tough choices in the coming months.
Two thirds of our service budget – which is in the main funded by Council Tax – is spent on vital services for vulnerable people; adult social care and children’s services, and the demand for these services, along with the cost of providing them, continues to rise more than our income. While we continue to manage costs carefully, it is becoming increasingly challenging to make further savings, which is why in recent years we’ve had to take difficult steps to make sure we can continue delivering care and support to the people who need it most.
This is another tough decision. We know these proposals will affect low-income households and we understand that any changes may be worrying for some residents. The public consultation will give people the chance to tell us what they feel is reasonable, so we can make sure we get the balance right between supporting households and protecting essential services for the most vulnerable.”
These proposals would bring us more in line with the level of support currently offered by neighbouring councils, Milton Keynes City and Luton, while Bedford Borough Council are consulting on their scheme.