LOW-INCOME families with more than two children could end up paying more council tax as the city looks to save more than £300,000.
Oxford City Council is set to launch a consultation on proposals to change its Council Tax Reduction (CTR) scheme, leaving some householders paying more tax from April 2018.
Central government will no longer provide funding for Oxford’s CTR scheme from 2019 and the city council said it needed to save or other services would be affected.
A list of options have been drawn up and the council’s executive board could approve them next week ahead of a consultation.
Large families, who currently receive a £67 reduction per week per child, will have their reduction capped at two children.
Adults living with a second person, not a partner, on a low income, will also lose their ‘second adult’ reduction - a move that will affect 132 households and save the council more than £50,000.
Under the current scheme some residents with savings of less than £16,000 also have a reduction to their council tax.
That figure could drop to £6,000 worth of savings under new measures, which would see 83 people pay more and the council save £55,000.
An income banded scheme could also be implemented leaving 1,379 better off, 923 worse off and 3,912 seeing a change of less than £1 a week either way.
The council’s city executive board will decide whether to approve the options on Tuesday at Town Hall at 5pm.
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