Cabinet have agreed to introduce a Council Tax exemption for residents leaving Rhondda Cynon Taf’s care system – the first Local Authority in Wales to implement this policy for care leavers up to the age of 25.
At a meeting on Tuesday, December 19, Cabinet considered a report which recommended providing care leavers (aged 18-25) with a 100% Discretional Council Tax Relief – which would come into effect from April 1, 2018.
This approach is supported by the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Sally Holland, who references the need to consider the impact of Council Tax on care leavers in her ‘Hidden Ambitions’ report.
Recent reports and campaigns – notably from the Children’s Society – have identified a number of disadvantages that care leavers experience, including vulnerability through their requirement to pay Council Tax. Young people’s transition out of care and into adulthood, when they must manage money for the first time, is extremely challenging.
Councillor Mark Norris, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, said:
“The Council has a responsibility as a corporate parent to support young people in its care, and Cabinet’s agreement to introduce a 100% Council Tax Relief will ensure this support continues when the young people become care leavers.
“The Relief will be a real help to young people leaving care who, without the support of family, are required to manage their money for the first time.
“The expected cost to the Local Authority in order to provide this Relief is around £10,000 each year – and this will be included in the 2018/19 budget and will not impact on Council Tax payers.
“The Council will become the first in Wales to offer this Relief to care leavers up to the age of 25, as opposed to 21, and it will extend our role as corporate parent to support these young people as they embark on independent living.”
Councillor Christina Leyshon, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Deputy Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, added:
“The Council already provides support for looked after children, and care leavers, through programmes such as Step in the Right Direction and Care2Work – which offers tailored support and encouragement for young people in care to enter education or employment.
“The decision to exempt care leavers from Council Tax further supports this transition into independent living as young adults – an approach which is supported by the Children’s Society and has the backing of the Children’s Commissioner.”
The Care Leavers Council Tax Relief agreed by Cabinet will apply to young residents who the Council held corporate parenting responsibility for, at the point at which they left care. The Relief will apply to care leavers who reside and are liable to pay Council Tax in Rhondda Cynon Taf.
The Relief will be available from the start of the 2018/19 financial year, and will be wholly funded by the Council, included in its 2018/19 budget.