Young people leaving care in Bassetlaw now exempt from Council Tax

This is after the Council’s Cabinet approved a new ‘Care Leavers Council Tax Local Discount Scheme.’

Under the scheme, care leavers will be exempt from paying Council Tax until their 25th birthday or until the care leaver ceases to be liable for the Council Tax.

Coun Kevin Dukes, cabinet member for Co-operatives and Corporate Services at Bassetlaw District Council, said: “Looked after children and care leavers are among the most vulnerable groups in society.

“They tend to leave home at a younger age and are often living independently by the time they are 18.

“Reports by the Children’s Society and others have shown that Care Leavers have struggled with budgeting on exiting the Care System.

“By exempting Council Tax, we are removing one of the pressures they face and helping support their transition to independent living and adulthood.”

Nationally care leavers have consistently reported they were insufficiently prepared for the realities of living independently, particularly in relation to budgeting.

A report by The Children’s Society, The Wolf at the Door: How council tax debt collection is harming children, suggests that care leavers are a particularly vulnerable group for council tax debt.

The Children’s Society report made a number of recommendations, including making care leavers eligible for a council tax reduction.