Thousands of struggling families in Salford could benefit from plans to scrap a two-child limit in the city’s council tax reduction scheme.
The policy slashes council tax bills for eligible residents, helping people on low incomes who rely on Universal Credit and need a bit of extra support.
A vital lifeline, it helps keep more money in the pockets of some of the most vulnerable people in the city, and often impacts families who are working but struggling with the cost of living.
But Salford’s council tax reduction scheme is capped with a two-child limit, so larger families with more kids are losing out on extra help.
Councillors backed a call by independent councillor Andrew Walters today (March 18) to scrap the two-child limit in the scheme.
The call was supported by a unanimous vote in the council chamber.
Councillor Walters said scrapping the limit would help towards ‘protecting the most vulnerable residents in our city’.
He added: “It’s not abstract policy, it’s about real families in Salford, families who are already working, already contributing, and already struggling with the cost of living.
“Families who will now continue to face an artificial financial penalty based solely on the number of children they have.
“We need to see what this policy does, it doesn’t incentivise work, many affected families already work, it does not reduce need, it simply redistributes hardship, and it doesn’t fall evenly, it falls most heavily on those who are least able to afford it.”
Salford’s Labour mayor Paul Dennett said lifting the cap would benefit more than 4,000 households in the city, and more than 12,000 children.
He added: “Anything we can do collectively to support families and children in that regard is absolutely critical.
“For me this is really important, it doesn’t stand alone, this is very much part of our anti-poverty work as a city council, and I absolutely wholeheartedly support this motion today.”
The vote means Salford council’s chief financial officer will put together a report over the financial implications of the change, and that the council ‘expresses its in-principle support for removing the two-child limit from Salford’s council tax reduction scheme.’
Councillor Andrew Walters’ motion stressed that ‘any amendment to the council tax reduction scheme must be properly costed before implementation.’
Council tax bills in Salford are going up this year by 4.99 per cent as part of the town hall’s budget.
Money from the increase is dished out to pay for vital services across the city.
