Start of COVID-19 pandemic saw the highest number of people claiming council tax support in England since records began in 2015

Local Government Association reports that 2.5 million working age people claimed the benefit between April and June this year

The start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic saw the highest number of people claiming council tax support in England since records began in 2015, according to the Local Government Association (LGA).

New analysis commissioned by the LGA has revealed that, between April and June 2020, 2.5 million working age people across England claimed council tax support. Highlighting that the number is likely to have risen further over the summer - and may continue to rise in future years due to the knock-on economic fall-out from the pandemic - the LGA estimates that the cost of the increased claimant numbers of council tax support due to COVID-19 in 2020/2021 could be at least £586 million.

Asking the government to fully fund the record demand for council tax support as part of the Spending Review, Chair of the LGA's Resources Board Councillor Richard Watts said - 

'Councils know how tough things are for many people as a result of COVID-19 and are desperate to protect those affected the most.

The sharp rise in council tax support claimants is heaping further pressure on this already underfunded vital local safety net. No one wants to ask those on the lowest incomes to pay more but councils have faced an impossible position that the pandemic has made worse.

The Government must ensure councils have the full amount of funding required to provide council tax support to those who need it. 

Otherwise, it is almost inevitable that bills will continue to be forced up for those who can least afford to pay.'

For more information, see LGA - Record numbers claiming council tax support from local.gov.uk