A NEW council tax support scheme for people on low incomes will be introduced when the new Somerset West and Taunton Council comes in to being in April next year.

And an eight-week consultation begins on Monday (July 16) on the form it should take.

The new council will need its own CTS scheme which will be applied consistently across the whole area, to replace thoese currently operated by West Somerset and taunton Deane councils.

CTS is a means-tested discount scheme to help council tax payers on a low income to pay their council tax.

Pension age council tax payers will not be affected by any changes and will continue to receive up to 100 per cent support.

Currently, about 10,000 households claim CTS, and of these, some 5,300 are of working age.

The consultation will ask people to comment on a proposal to base the CTS scheme on the schemes currently used across the existing council areas, and for their views on options to increase or decrease the support offered for working age people.

As well as CTS, the councils offer a discretionary reduction in council tax scheme for those who demonstrate exceptional financial hardship or exceptional personal circumstances which justify a reduction or waiver of their Council Tax bill. This aims to offer short term help, and awards are made case by case.

Everyone liable to pay council tax pays for the CTS scheme through their council tax payments, so the consultation wants to to get the views of all payers, whether or not they receive CTS.

Any changes to the scheme will directly affect working age households receiving CTS now or in the future.

The background to the consultation and information about CTS will be available online at www.tauntondeane.gov.uk/benefitconsultation or www.westsomersetonline.gov.uk/benefitconsultation

People can respond to the consultation by completing either a paper or online questionnaire.