25 signatures reached
To: HACKNEY COUNCIL
RE-INSTATE FULL COUNCIL TAX BENEFIT IN HACKNEY
RE-INSTATE FULL COUNCIL TAX BENEFIT TO HACKNEY RESIDENTS WHO ARE ON LOCAL INCOME
Why is this important?
Hackney Council has started a consultation to reduce the Council Tax Reduction benefit from Low income household. Currently Hackney residents of working age are deemed to pay at least 15% of the current council tax. The consultation is to review whether to decrease the support received by the individuals further by 5%.
Whilst the council considers increasing the council tax contributions from low income residents, the number of Hackney residents seeking help from food banks has increased significantly. Some of the factors are caused due to benefit sanctions and zero hours contracts. Those on benefits also have to prioritise a number of essential bills such as gas and electricity. Without any of these essential fuel supplies, many people are unable to live a humane life in their homes. What is also troubling is that due to the introduction of Universal Credit in Hackney from March 2017, many of these residents have to manage their income and recieve their benefits on a monthly basis instead of, as was the case, fortnightly. Many of them have to consider whether to eat, pay their rent or pay council tax.
The Council’s recovery policy puts Hackney residents into further debt once court costs and bailiff enforcement agents costs are added to their original debts. The consequence of such recovery action increases anxiety and mental deterioration of many Hackney residents.
Camden Council introduced 91.5% council tax reduction from April 2013 for working age applicants. However, from April 2017, the council has reintroduced full council tax reduction because the poorer communities have been hard hit and the cost of recovering outweighs the benefits of charging such communities.
In order to sustain and support all communities in Hackney, it’s essential that poorer communities are supported by Hackney Council by re-instating full council tax reduction benefit to residents who are in low income.
This branch agrees to:
1. Organise a campaign and protest against the council tax proposal to decrease council tax reduction outside Hackney Tower Hall
2. Mandate local Labour councillors to vote against the Council’s proposals and to re-instate full council tax reduction
Whilst the council considers increasing the council tax contributions from low income residents, the number of Hackney residents seeking help from food banks has increased significantly. Some of the factors are caused due to benefit sanctions and zero hours contracts. Those on benefits also have to prioritise a number of essential bills such as gas and electricity. Without any of these essential fuel supplies, many people are unable to live a humane life in their homes. What is also troubling is that due to the introduction of Universal Credit in Hackney from March 2017, many of these residents have to manage their income and recieve their benefits on a monthly basis instead of, as was the case, fortnightly. Many of them have to consider whether to eat, pay their rent or pay council tax.
The Council’s recovery policy puts Hackney residents into further debt once court costs and bailiff enforcement agents costs are added to their original debts. The consequence of such recovery action increases anxiety and mental deterioration of many Hackney residents.
Camden Council introduced 91.5% council tax reduction from April 2013 for working age applicants. However, from April 2017, the council has reintroduced full council tax reduction because the poorer communities have been hard hit and the cost of recovering outweighs the benefits of charging such communities.
In order to sustain and support all communities in Hackney, it’s essential that poorer communities are supported by Hackney Council by re-instating full council tax reduction benefit to residents who are in low income.
This branch agrees to:
1. Organise a campaign and protest against the council tax proposal to decrease council tax reduction outside Hackney Tower Hall
2. Mandate local Labour councillors to vote against the Council’s proposals and to re-instate full council tax reduction
