Maidstone Borough Council 7 Council Tax Support
Council tax support is given to those households that need support to pay their council tax. In 2012, the Government reduced funding for this support, and has now reduced this support further. Maidstone council needs to meet the shortfall, balancing the needs of those who need support and the council tax payer who will have to make up the funding gap if the cost is not passed on to those receiving council tax support.
We have altered other discounts and exemptions – for example reducing the amount of time that empty homes are exempt, and removing the second home discount - to fund the shortfall but more was required to ensure the local scheme would work from 2014. The council considered two options – to reduce awards by 18.5% or 13% - and agreed to reduce awards by 13% as this would provide greater support in 2014 and ease the pressure on those receiving the benefit. This was also the option that was favoured by respondents to our consultation.
If any residents are worried about paying any of their bills – from council tax to rent and utilities – there is lots of help and advice available. You are welcome at the Maidstone Gateway, where you can speak to an advisor or the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, or our Benefits Team can be contacted on 01622 602557.
Join the Empty Homes
Maidstone council has now renovated three long-term empty homes for the benefit of homeless families thanks to a successful bid to the Homes and Communities Agency for funding. The homes were brought up to a decent standard and in return, the owners are allowing the council to nominate
families from its housing register to rent the properties for five years.
We are keen to work with homeowners to bring empty properties back into use, and have a variety of ways that we can help. Over 150 long term (over 6 months) empty properties have been brought back into use in the last year.
If you would like to find out how we can help you, please call Katrina Hurton, Private Sector Housing Officer on 01622 602472 or email
KatrinaHurton@maidstone.gov.uk
Homeless Care
After almost 30 years of dedication and hard work by volunteers, staff and supporters, Maidstone Christian Care has joined forces with Goodsell House to become Homeless Care. The services of both organisations will continue to operate as before under the banner of the new charity:
z Maidstone Christian Care started in 1986 with a soup run that has since developed as a leading service of care for homeless and vulnerable men and women in the town.
z Goodsell House is a ten bedded hostel, donated by a benefactor in 1976 to give homeless people respite whilst they address their problems and prepare to move into independent living.
z Maidstone Day Centre opened in a ground floor flat on Ashford Road in 1995, moving in 2004 to the charity’s present home in Knightrider Street. The Day Centre is open weekdays and
Saturday mornings, providing hot showers, clean clothes and home cooked meals to those in need as well as help with referrals for health problems, accessing benefits and finding accommodation.
z Food for Thought, Maidstone’s community food share scheme launched in 2005, collects surplus food items from local traders and redistributes to people who would otherwise go hungry. Schools and churches donate Harvest offerings and 2013 saw the Kent Messenger’s tenth Christmas food collection campaign, ‘You can Help.’
Homeless Care relies on support from the community to help people at a low point in their lives and is grateful for even the smallest donation. For details about how to help, contact Chairman Mike FitzGerald on 01622 743270. To read Homeless Care’s newsletter, go to
www.maidstonedaycentre.org.uk
Struggling to pay your electricity or gas bills? You may be able to save money by switching your electricity and gas supplier or by getting onto the right tariff. Many of us never switch and don’t know whether we are getting a good deal.
Maidstone council is working with iChoosr to run a collective switching service. It is a simple five stage process.
1. You register your interest 2. iChoosr seeks out the low prices
3. You get a personal offer showing whether you would save - and
how much you would save - if you switched to the new offer
4. You decide whether to switch
5. iChoosr arranges the switch for you
You do not have to accept the switch offered, so the scheme really is no hassle, no cost and no obligation. It is just an easy way to find out whether you could save money. It is open to everyone, whether you own or rent your home, and pay your bills by direct debit, cash or pre-payment meter.
To find out whether you could save on your energy bills register online at
www.maidstone.gov.uk/ bigmaidstoneswitch. If you do not have access to the internet you can call the council on 01622 602750 or visit the Gateway on King Street, Maidstone. You will need information on your electricity and gas bills to register, so have them handy. You can register until 17 February 2014 and will receive your offer around the beginning of March.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56