Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR – CUSTOMERS

To consider the adoption of a policy which ensures that members of the armed forces who have been disabled during service or the widows, widowers or surviving civil partner of those who died in service are recognised and not financially penalised when calculating entitlement to housing benefit.

RESOLVED: That Council adopted the policy at Appendix B.

REASONS FOR DECISION:

(1)   The Housing Benefit Regulations make provision for the first £10 of a war disablement or war widow’s pension to be disregarded when calculating an applicant’s income relating to an application for housing benefit. The cost of this disregard is fully reimbursed to the Council by government.

(2)   The legislation also allows the Council to disregard any other part of these pensions and this Council has wholly disregarded the payments for a number of years when calculating housing benefit or council tax reduction entitlement.

(3)   The Council’s council tax reduction scheme is aligned to housing benefit regulations and disregards war disablement or war widow pension.

Audio recording – 54 minutes 51 seconds

N.B Councillor Dominic Griffiths returned to the Chamber at 20:29

Councillor Ian Albert, Executive Member for Finance and IT, presented the report entitled ‘Disregard of War Disablement Income’ and highlighted that:

·       The Council had a proud record for their support of war veterans, widows, those with war disablement and people that have been in the armed forces.

·       Armed forces veterans were eligible for the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.

·       It was a policy of the Council to disregard any income over and above the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) when calculating housing benefit entitlements for war widows and those with war disablements. This report sought to formalise that policy, and was attached at Appendix B.

·       If the policy was adopted and confirmed, the entitlement to housing benefit would be recognised and support would be given.

In response to a question from Councillor Jon Clayden, the Benefits Manager stated that they had one person in receipt of this disregard.

Councillor Ralph Muncer stated that this policy was strongly welcomed, and they were proud to support the armed forces covenant.

Councillor Ian Albert proposed and Councillor Val Bryant seconded and following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED: That Council adopted the policy at Appendix B.

REASONS FOR DECISION:

(1)   The Housing Benefit Regulations make provision for the first £10 of a war disablement or war widow’s pension to be disregarded when calculating an applicant’s income relating to an application for housing benefit. The cost of this disregard is fully reimbursed to the Council by government.

(2)   The legislation also allows the Council to disregard any other part of these pensions and this Council has wholly disregarded the payments for a number of years when calculating housing benefit or council tax reduction entitlement.

(3)   The Council’s council tax reduction scheme is aligned to housing benefit regulations and disregards war disablement or war widow pension.