Derby City Council is set to approve an updated Single Discretionary Award (SDA) payment scheme to incorporate the latest Government guidance on Council Tax Hardship and to improve the original policy implemented in 2016.
The refreshed policy also improves the decision-making process so that financial assistance can reach those that need it more efficiently. The proposed SDA Policy sets out that there are now two elements to the Council Tax Hardship fund: The Government's Covid-19 Hardship Fund and the Council's Council Tax Hardship Scheme.
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government made new Council Tax Hardship funding available to local authorities to provide relief to Council Tax payers during 2020/21. The Council's allocation for this is £2,187,702.00 and working age claimants receive a set award of up to £150 for the year if they have a Council Tax liability to pay and are in receipt of Council Tax Support.
The Council Tax Hardship Scheme remains unchanged in the new policy but there are other minor additions, corrections and amendments to items such as the eligibility criteria.
The Award can help eligible residents with items such as white goods, electrical goods, furniture, food vouchers, utilities payments, housing costs and more.
Details of how to apply to the scheme and the eligibility criteria can be found on the Single Discretionary Award page of the Council website
The Policy will be discussed by Cabinet in December and the changes will come into force in January 2021.
Residents are also reminded of the Test and Trace self-isolation support payments of £500 which are available for eligible residents .who are required to self isolate
Councillor Nicola Roulstone, Cabinet Member for Finance and Procurement said:
The Single Discretionary Award scheme has been very successful over the past four years but with the changes to Government policy it was the right time for us to look again at it and give it a refresh.
I’d like to thank officers for their hard work in pulling the new scheme together.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had such a dramatic impact on so many lives and families that we welcome the additional support from the Government to help out those most in need who have no other avenue.