This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Low income households and water charges
26/02/2006
A new water and sewerage charge reduction scheme aimed at keeping down the water bills of low income households is now in operation.
Deputy Environment Minister Rhona Brankin confirmed today that from April 1 some households in receipt of Council Tax benefit will see a reduction of up to 25 per cent.
Homes with two adults or more in receipt of Council Tax benefit will now be eligible for a reduction (similar to that currently available to single person households) as long as they are not in receipt of other reductions.
Individual local authorities will be responsible for the practical implementation and administration of the new scheme.
Ms Brankin said:
"In February last year Ministers announced proposals to introduce a new permanent water charges reduction scheme to help Scotland's low income households cover the cost of their water bills.
"I now am delighted to announce that thousands of additional households in receipt of Council Tax benefit will benefit from reduced charges from the beginning of April this year.
"We are committed to improving the wellbeing of Scotland's people through cleaner and safer water supplies for all. This scheme will help ensure that water services are affordable to all."
The 'Water and Sewerage Charges Reduction Scheme' will be a permanent means of assisting those receiving Council Tax benefit. The present water and sewerage charges transitional relief scheme (which is also based on Council Tax benefit eligibility but is temporary) will come to an end on March 31.
The scheme provides assistance in addition to that offered currently under the link between Council Tax bands and water and sewerage charges together with the various discounts for instance, the Single Persons' Discount.
Under the scheme, households with two adults or more and which are in receipt of Council Tax benefit but no other percentage reductions will qualify for assistance. The amount of reduction will be proportionate to the amount of Council tax benefit received (i.e. only full entitlement to CTB will attract the full 25 per cent reduction).
The cost of the new scheme will be met through the abolition of water and sewerage charges discounts for second homes and other empty dwellings.