4 Maidstone Borough Council Council tax facts, 2016 -2017 Council tax bands
Maidstone Borough Council is asking residents to pay an extra 2% for its services, such as planning, waste and recycling collections, and street cleaning, for the year April 2016 to March 2017.
Band D is used as an example in this article.
• The cost of Maidstone Borough Council’s services for the year will rise by £4.95 a year from £235.71 to £240.66 for Band D taxpayers.
• Kent County Council has increased its council tax by 1.99% and the cost of its services will rise from £1,089.99 to £1,111.77 for Band D taxpayers. There is also an an additional 2% increase (£21.78 charge for Band D taxpayers) for Kent County Council Social Care, bringing the total amount payable to KCC to £1,133.55. This charge for KCC Social Care is new for 2016/17. KCC also provides services such as education and transport.
• The Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority has increased its council tax by 1.9% and the cost of its services will rise from £70.65 to £72 for Band D taxpayers.
• The bill for the Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent will rise by 3.4% from £147.15 to £152.15 for Band D taxpayers.
• That means that the total bill for a band D taxpayer, excluding parish council precepts, will rise by 3.6% from £1,543.50 to £1,598.36.
Parish precepts
Council Tax bills for most rural areas include an additional parish council annual precept. These range from £24 for Boughton Malherbe to £90.78 for Leeds for a Band D taxpayer. More information can be found on
www.maidstone.gov.uk/council/finance-and-performance
Single person council tax discount review
We are currently undertaking a review of single person council tax discount awards. Every resident who receives the single person’s discount will be contacted by letter to make sure that the reductions are being correctly claimed.
The letter will come from Capita Local Government Services, who we have asked to carry out the review. If you receive one of these letters, it will explain what you need to do. There will be a form, which you must fill in and return.
The single person discount can be claimed when only one adult lives in a property and is worth at least £250 a year. The checks form part of our measures to prevent and detect error and fraud to protect the public purse.
Changes to Housing Benefit Rules for Working Age claimants
The Government has made a number of changes to Housing Benefit rules for claimants who are of working age.
Backdating From 1 April 2016 the maximum period for which Housing Benefit claims may be backdated has been reduced to one month.
Claimants still need to demonstrate ‘good cause’ or reason why they are requesting backdating.
The backdating period for anyone who has reached the qualifying age for state pension credit will continue to be three months.
Backdating for Council Tax Support claims remains at a maximum of 6 months
Family Premium From 1 May 2016 the family premium is no longer included for new Housing Benefit claims or for any existing claimants who have a child or become responsible for a child (under 16) or young person (under 20).
If a current claimant stops having responsibility for children or young people, then they will not be able to regain the family premium in the future.
Claimants who receive a ‘passporting’ benefit (Income Support, income-based
Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance or guarantee element of Pension Credit) will continue to be entitled to the family premium if they cease to claim the passporting benefit and are still entitled to Housing Benefit only.
Claimants who are not on a passporting benefit will retain the family premium if they were entitled to it on 30 April 2016 until:
• they make a new claim for Housing Benefit; or
• they no longer have responsibility for any children or young people.
The Family Premium will remain in the calculation of Council Tax Support claims
National Living Wage The hourly minimum pay rate for those over 25 years of age increased on 1 April 2016. This will affect the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support that you are receiving. Please report changes to your earned income to us promptly to prevent overpayments. You can tell us about these changes online at:
www.maidstone.gov.uk/benefitsproof or
www.maidstone.gov.uk/benefitchangeofcircs
How every council tax pound is split
A £1,065.57 B £1,243.17 C £1,420.76 D £1,598.36
E £1,953.55 F £2,308.74 G £2,663.93 H £3,196.72
Excluding parish council precepts.
The total annual charge for Kent County Council, Maidstone Borough Council, Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent, and Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority for every band for 2016/2017 is:
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