London: Waltham Forest proposes council tax support cut hitting 7,079 vulnerable households

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Waltham Forest Council is consulting on proposed changes to its Council Tax Support scheme for working-age households. No final decision has been made; if approved, the changes would take effect on 1 April 2027.

The preferred option would end the current top support rate of 85% — reserved for protected groups such as people with limited capability for work, some carers, and households with a child aged 5 or under — and replace it with a maximum rate of 75%.

The council estimates 7,079 households would receive less support, while 2,343 would receive more. A total of 534 households would lose more than £5 a week; 1,734 would gain more than £5 a week.

The redesigned scheme would move from five to seven earnings groups to smooth out sudden benefit cutoffs as incomes rise. Households with no earnings that don't currently qualify for the protected 85% rate could see their maximum support rise from 57% to 75%.

Keeping the current scheme would cost £22.16 million in 2027/28; the preferred option would cost £21.19 million — about £0.97 million less, according to council estimates. A £750,000 hardship fund would remain in place for residents facing the greatest difficulty, with details finalized after the consultation.

The consultation opened on 24 September 2026 and closes on 6 November 2026. Cabinet will consider the proposals in December, with Full Council making the final decision later that month. Cabinet member Cllr Em Dean said the council reviews the scheme every year to keep it "fair, affordable, and sustainable," and that residents' views are being sought before any decision is made.