Left Behind:
How Telford &
Wrekin’s Council
Tax Changes Are
Failing Disabled
Residents
In 2020/21 the local council under then leader and now MP, Shaun Davies, and current leader, then Cabinet Member for Finance Cllr Lee Carter, introduced a new plan for how much people pay in council tax, especially for those on low incomes or with disabilities.
This plan called for a major overhaul to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.While it aimed to save money and make things fair, many worried that it might actually make life harder for disabled people.
5 years on, we can say for sure that has!
What Changed?
Under the old rules, disabled people who received certain benefits could get up to 100% discount on their council tax. But now, the council says that disabled people can only get up to a 90% discount. That might not sound like much, but it means they are now using money for disability aids and services for paying tax.
However, there is an even bigger problem. The most severley disabled do not qualify for the 90% help!
The government tops up disabled peoples income through Universal Credit (UC) with a health element, which closes the gap between DLA/PIP money, which actually falls short of providing for disabled peoples needs, and the actual costs of living with a disability, as identified by this SCOPE survey
Telford and Wrekin Council now take that income in to consideration for council tax. For those with the most severe disabilities, this means that they qualify for zero help!
This means some disabled people have found it harder to pay their council tax now, and are forced to go without essential disability aids and services. They face more financial stress, which is leading to debt, risking them even losing their homes if they can't keep up.
The council’s 2020/21 plan talked of a hardship fund, which is like a safety net, but it didn't say about how well that safety net would work or whether everyone knew about it, and it turns out that it is more of a PR exercise than a safety net.
What Was Missing in the Assessment?
The council’s report tried to explain what might happen, but it failed to really look into the real impact on disabled folks. For example:
It didn't tell us how people with severe disabilities would be affected. Was this by design because they knew the most severely disabled would no longer qualify for help?
It didn't explain whether those with different kinds of disabilities would find it harder to get help. Like those who are neurodivergent, or physically disabled, both substantially confused and physically drained by form filling.
It didn't say if disabled people would struggle more because of these changes.
Is The Help Enough?
The council mentions the hardship fund, but it’s now clear it’s not enough to support everyone who needs help, and again the bar is set so that those most severley disabled people do not qualify for help!
How Do They Keep Track?
The council said they would check how the new scheme is working over time. But they didn't say exactly how they would make sure disabled people were not being unfairly hurt.
The Green Party of Telford and Wrekin has been watching these changes closely and listening to disabled communities to see what’s really happening.
Changing the council tax scheme might have saved a few pennies, but it’s important to think about how these changes affected the most vulnerable, especially disabled people, who now go without essentials.
We need to make sure that disabled people are not left behind. The council should listen more to those affected, provide clear information, and make sure genuine help is available when needed.
These changes are making life harder for those who already face many tough challenges.
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