We ask the Government to require all English local authorities to disregard transitional protection payments in full when assessing council tax. Transitional protection is temporary but counting it as income cancels out that protection.

The Government should amend the Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2012 so that the Universal Credit transitional protection payment is fully disregarded as income when calculating Council Tax Reduction. Transitional protection is designed to prevent households from being financially worse off when moved from legacy benefits to Universal Credit. Many councils count this temporary protection as income when calculating Council Tax Reduction.