Rebecca Evans MS, Minister for Finance and Local Government
Today, I have laid the draft Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements and Default Scheme) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 before the Senedd.
Subject to the approval of the Senedd, these Regulations will uprate the financial figures in the Council Tax Reduction Schemes and Prescribed Requirements (Wales) Regulations 2013 and the Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Default Scheme) (Wales) Regulations 2013 to ensure that the scheme in place for the 2022-23 financial year reflects increases in the cost-of-living. This helps to ensure that the scheme maintains entitlements for almost 285,000 low-income households across Wales who rely on this support.
In addition an amendment is proposed to provide support to Afghan nationals and UK nationals from Afghanistan as a consequence of the fall of the Afghan Government. This will allow them to be eligible to be included in a local authority’s scheme and be eligible for a discount if they meet the other requirements.
A further amendment makes provision for how compensation payments made by the Scottish Ministers in relation to cases of historical child abuse are to be taken into account when determining eligibility for a reduction and the amount of a reduction. This will ensure no applicant living in Wales is negatively affected because they have received a redress payment.
Finally, we have removed redundant references to persons under 65 in respect of the personal allowance of pensioners. This will extend the higher rate of personal allowance to all pensioners in Wales.
I look forward to the debate on the Regulations early in the New Year.