Council Tax Reduction Scheme

This consultation is now closed.

Council Tax Reduction is a discount that helps people on low incomes pay their Council Tax bill. The level of discount is based on the income and circumstances of the household.

Each of the three councils that make up the new Westmorland and Furness Council area run similar but separate schemes. By law we have to introduce a single Council Tax Reduction Scheme, from April 2023, covering the whole of the Westmorland and Furness Council area.

A consultation is now underway and we’re asking for comments by Sunday 20 November 2022.

Let us know what you think by filling in the Westmorland and Furness Council Tax Reduction Scheme survey.

We are proposing to continue with a similar scheme to those that are currently operating within Barrow Borough Council, Eden District Council and South Lakeland District Council. This will continue to provide the maximum level of reduction for the people most in need.

We need to adopt a single approach in the many areas where the schemes may differ. We are also proposing to make some changes to align the scheme with changes that have been made to national benefits like Housing Benefit and to make it work better now that Universal Credit has been introduced across the region.

The changes to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme will affect working age households in the Westmorland and Furness Council area who will get Council Tax Reduction from 1 April 2023. Pension age households will not see any change as the scheme to support this group is set out by Central Government.

We want to:

Hard copies of the consultation document and survey are also available, during normal office hours, from:

Or download a copy: Westmorland and Furness CTR Consultation response form (PDF 121KB / 12 pages)