Record number of Blackpool residents seeking help with council tax bills

One anti-poverty charity said the pandemic has left many people in “financially precarious” positions, with even more expected to seek support in the coming months.

In Blackpool, 15,012 working age residents were claiming support under the Council Tax Reduction Scheme from April to June, figures from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government showed.

This is highest number for any quarter since 2015/16 when comparable records began, and a 19 per cent rise compared to the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the number of pensioners claiming a council tax reduction fell from 6,833 to 6,605.

Sara Willcocks, head of external affairs at charity Turn2us, said the change means “more people than ever” are paying local taxes.

She said: “While it is good news that there has been a modest uptake in people getting discounts on their bills, there are still thousands who are missing out.

“The coronavirus pandemic has pushed millions into financially precarious positions. We expect to see more and more people need this benefit over the next few months.

“Local councils must be supported by Westminster to end the postcode lottery with council tax support so that they have the money and resources to help people struggling.”

Across England, the total number of council tax claimants reached 4 million between April and June, from 3.9 million in 2019.