• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

MayorWatch

London News and Comment

  • NEWS

Coalition consults devolving Council Tax benefit powers

August 5, 2011 by Staff

Plans to give local councils control over the awarding of council tax benefit have been published for consultation by coalition ministers.

At present the rules governing who is entitled to claim the benefit are decided at national level despite council’s being responsible for setting and collecting council tax.

Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles has unveiled proposals to devolve responsibility for the benefit to councils, a move ministers suggest could save taxpayers “up to £480 million a year”.

The proposals follow a suggestion by ministers that councils be allowed to retain the majority of business rates they collect.

Mr Pickles said the proposed changes would mean councils were “much better placed to attract new business and industry, better placed to help their residents get off welfare and reap the benefits of work instead.

“They will directly benefit from improving the prosperity of the local area that will in turn drive down their benefit bill.”

The consultation document can be read here.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email

Filed Under: News

RECENT UPDATES

Tube and rail users to benefit from Oyster weekly fares cap

Mayor and TfL call on ministers to help plug funding gap

Tube to get full mobile phone coverage from 2024

TfL says Direct Vision Standard is already making HGVs safer for London road users




POPULAR

City Hall to move to Docklands as Mayor seeks to raise £55m for frontline services

‘Concern’ over TfL’s ability to deliver major projects in wake of Crossrail cost overruns

City Hall halts London Overground ticket office closures but many will still see opening hours reduced

Transport for London confirms bus cuts will go ahead despite passenger opposition

Copyright © 2025 · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy