More than 7,000 vulnerable and low-income residents could pay more in council tax under proposals from Green-led Waltham Forest Council.
uncertain
residents → pay → Council
The council is looking to cut council tax support by 10% for people with “limited capability for work” or who have children under five.
asserted
who → look → five
The former Labour administration already cut the scheme in 2024, significantly reducing the discounts available to residents who struggled to pay the full bill.
Working-age residents on low incomes previously paid as little as 15% of their council tax.
asserted
residents → cut → tax
They now pay as much as 43%.
asserted
They → pay → %
However, those with “limited capability for work” or who have children under five can still apply for an 85% reduction.
asserted
who → have → reduction
Under new proposals, which are currently the subject of a consultation, that reduction would be cut to 75% – which the council says is in line with the support offered by other London local authorities.
asserted
council → cut → authorities
Waltham Forest says it wants the scheme to be “fair and easy to understand,” but one “the council can afford”, adding: “Giving more support would cost extra money.
asserted
Giving → say → money
This would mean spending less on other services, raising council tax more than needed or using emergency savings.”
asserted
This → mean → savings
Councillor Em Dean, the cabinet member for finances and resources, said: “We review the council tax support scheme every year to make sure it remains fair, affordable, and sustainable.
asserted
it → say → scheme
It is important to note that no decision has yet been made – we are consulting residents and considering their opinions before doing so.
asserted
we → note → opinions
“We recognise that some households could receive less support under the proposals, while others could receive more.
uncertain
others → recognise → more
“We are seeking views on the potential impacts and how they could be mitigated, and we plan to maintain a £750,000 hardship fund to provide additional support for residents facing financial difficulties.”
uncertain
we → seek → difficulties
The proposed changes will save the cash-strapped council £970,000 a year, but will see 7,079 households lose out.
asserted
households → propose → 970,000
On the other hand, 2,343 would receive more help than they do now.
asserted
they → receive → help
Households with no earnings that do not get special protection now could see their top rate rise from 57% to 75%, the council says.
uncertain
council → get → %
The council has produced a list of hypothetical scenarios to accompany the consultation, giving examples of how people in different situations would be affected.
asserted
people → produce → situations
One describes how a severely disabled single mother to a severely disabled child, living on Universal Credit and other benefits, would currently receive £35.33 weekly towards her £41.57-a-week council tax bill.
asserted
mother → describe → bill
Under the changes, she would get £31.18 a week – a drop of £4.15.
asserted
she → get → 4.15
In another, a hypothetical 28-year-old resident who lives alone, works part-time and earns £130 a week, alongside a small amount of Universal Credit.
asserted
who → live → Credit
Under the current scheme, his £27.71 weekly bill is reduced by £13.02.
asserted
bill → reduce → 13.02
But under the proposed scheme, he would shift from band 2 to band 4 and receive a greater tax discount worth £15.24 a week – an increase of £2.22.
asserted
he → propose → 2.22
Opposition leader Councillor Kizzy Gardiner, who heads Waltham Forest Labour, said the move was both “surprising” and “deeply concerning”.
asserted
move → head → Labour
She said: “With cost-of-living pressures continuing to affect households across Waltham Forest, the Green Party leadership asking thousands of residents to pay more Council Tax demands serious attention and justification.
asserted
leadership → say → attention
“We are proud to have introduced the council tax support scheme and we balanced our financial responsibilities with protecting the most vulnerable, our guiding principles in every decision.”
asserted
we → introduce → decision
She added it was “especially difficult to reconcile” the proposals with the Green Party’s manifesto pledges to “set up a cost reduction taskforce, focused on driving down costs for residents” and “expand and provide additional cost-of-living support”.
asserted
it → add → support
The consultation will end in November and a final decision on the scheme is expected to be made the following month.
asserted
decision → end → scheme
If approved, any changes would come into effect on 1st April 2027.
asserted
changes → approve → April
The Aporia
