THURROCK Council has unveiled plans to help local people who are struggling with the financial impact of coronavirus.

At next week's meeting (Wednesday, 19 January) of the full council, details will be given of an extension to the council's local council tax support scheme which aims to provide additional stability to local residents that qualify during the uncertain times caused by the ongoing pandemic.

The scheme (LCTS) provides Thurrock residents of working age and who meet the criteria with an opportunity to reduce their council tax bill by up to 75%.

Households on low income can get council tax support, including those who receive:

• income support

• job seeker's allowance

• employment support allowance

• pension credit

You can find out more information here.

Cabinet Member for Finance Cllr Shane Hebb said: "This scheme provides important financial help to those that truly need support and we are planning to budget £8.5m to it, an increase of £700,000 on last year, to assist them.

"In times like these, we need to make stable what can be stabilised for residents who are in need of support. The council has previously approved a review of the LCTS, but only when more was known about its take up following the introduction of Universal Credit benefits across Thurrock.

"For obvious reasons now is not the right time to carry out that review. Whilst the government has supported working people in unprecedented ways during the pandemic, we need to embed stability where we can and while we can.

"Throughout the pandemic we have seen an increased take up of this support and until we are in a place of greater certainty about the future it is not the right time to look into making any changes.

"Instead we need to provide consistency of support and again provide £8.5m of funding to support the scheme which helps some of the borough's most vulnerable residents.

"At a point in the future we will ask Thurrock residents to contribute to the review, ensuring that we continue to make certain that those who need help most, get it and that any duplication in the Universal Credit benefit is considered in the scheme. Today, or the near future, is not the time to do that."