Revised Council Tax Reduction scheme now more equitable to help those in need
A fairer Council Tax Reduction scheme for Salford residents comes into effect from 1 April.
Shaped by public support during our recent consultation, these improvements ensure:
• Better support for low income households
• Fairer assessment of income
• Continued protection for residents transitioning to Universal Credit
Salford City Council’s proposals to make three changes to its working-age Council Tax Reduction (CTR) scheme for 2026/27 are now approved and come into effect on 1 April.
A recent review of the income-banded CTR scheme introduced last year showed that three proposals would further improve the way in which the council helps households on low incomes to pay their council tax bill.
The council consulted with the public on these three new CTR proposals* who showed strong majority support with:
• 54.1% in favour: Disregarding Universal Credit Transitional Protection Payments
• 63.9% in favour: Disregarding 45% of pension income
• 79.1% in favour: Retaining the CTR working age transitional protection scheme for those not yet migrated to Universal Credit
The CTR consultation ran from 20 November 2025 until 1 January 2026 and feedback from the 244 respondents emphasised:
• the importance of protecting the lowest income households
• general support for simplifying the scheme and maintaining fairness
• recognition that transitional protections remain essential, particularly during ongoing Universal Credit migration.
Lead Member for Finance, Support Services and Regeneration, Jack Youd, said: “Not only have we created a more equitable and stable scheme which targets support to those most in need, we have reviewed its effectiveness and found further ways to make it even more equitable. As help with paying council tax plays a vital role in alleviating financial pressures for vulnerable households, making these improvements shows our commitment to tackling poverty and inequality.”
Effective since April 2025, Salford’s CTR scheme now only assesses on income available to pay general bills so helps those most in need. Learnings showed that it’s working well by fairly and effectively targeting support for council tax bills to the lowest income households. As planned, the new scheme has been found cost neutral compared to the previous year’s costs.
Visit www.salford.gov.uk/ctr for more information about the revised scheme including more details of each proposal*
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About the Cabinet member
More information about Councillor Jack Youd
Councillor Jack Youd is the Lead Member for Finance, Support Services and Regeneration. He is also the Deputy City Mayor.