Council Tax Reduction update: Universal Credit transitional protection
We've identified an opportunity to improve how our local Council Tax Reduction (CTR) scheme supports residents who have moved from Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) to Universal Credit (UC) and receive a transitional protection element.
We're committed to ensuring our scheme is as fair and supportive as possible, and we're pleased to be taking steps to enhance it.
So we've updated how we apply our CTR scheme rules. With immediate effect, we will disregard the UC transitional protection element when calculating entitlement to Council Tax support. In addition, we are applying this positive change retrospectively to the 2025/26 scheme to ensure residents receive the full support they are entitled to.
We are now reviewing our records to identify and update all affected CTR claims. While not everyone who receives a transitional protection element will see a change due to other factors that influence entitlement those who are eligible for an increased award will benefit from a revised CTR along with a separate confirmation letter explaining the update.
If you are affected, you can expect to hear from us within the next 28 days. We are pleased to be making this improvement and continuing our commitment to supporting our residents.