Council tax benefit change attacked

Councils in England have been left in an "impossible position" by ministers' decision to scrap the national council tax benefit system, which has saved central government £414 million but left many town halls unable to protect those least able to pay, the Local Government Association said.

The warning came as spending watchdog the National Audit Office (NAO) found that the change effectively cut central government funding for council tax support by 10%, and most councils have responded by passing on at least some of that cut to low-income households which previously received help with bills.
%VIRTUAL-SkimlinksPromo%