Reducing vulnerable residents' council tax
Published
Wednesday 25 February, 2026
Updated
Thursday 26 February, 2026
Swale Borough Council will be able to offer more support to Swale’s lowest income households.
Members have agreed to make changes to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, including increasing the maximum reduction from 80% to 100%.
The scheme offers a discount to working age people’s council tax bill, with the level of discount (banding) being based on the income of the household.
There are just over 10,000 people currently receiving a reduction on their bill in Swale, with 6,500 of them being of working age.
The agreed changes, which aim to provide targeted support to households on the lowest incomes and reduce administration costs, include:
- increasing the reduction available to band 1 households (lowest income households) to 100%
- increasing the discount for band 2 to band 4 households by 10%
- removing the minimum income floor
- increasing the income thresholds for each band by the welfare benefit uplift
- and disregarding income from certain compensations in the calculation of Council Tax Reduction
Banding 1 through 4 is based on household income not the council tax banding of your home.
These changes will take effect from 1 April 2026 and will help reduce the financial pressure Swale’s most vulnerable families are facing.
Pension age applicants will continue to receive up to a 100% reduction as they have done for a number of years, with over 2,000 pension age people currently paying no council tax.
Cllr Tim Gibson, leader of Swale Borough Council, said:
“These changes will allow us to offer even more targeted support for our residents, helping to reduce the financial burden our struggling families are facing.
“We are increasing the maximum reduction to up to 100%, removing some of the barriers to the support by disregarding certain compensations, and increasing the discount available to everyone by 10% between band 1 and 4.
“Importantly, we are also streamlining how we do things so that it is cost effective while remaining an efficient service, helping offset some of the costs of these increased discounts.”
Swale Borough Council collects council tax on behalf of Kent County Council, Kent Police and Crime Commissioner, Swale Borough Council, Kent Fire and Rescue Authority and Town and parish councils, where applicable.
