1. Council tax administration High Value Council Tax Surcharge (HVCTS) The main direct council tax change is the new High Value Council Tax Surcharge: Administrative implications for councils: There are no direct changes to core council tax discounts or CTR in the Budget, but welfare changes (below) will affect CTR caseload and income assessment. 2….
Category: Budget
Monday Discussion Group: Budget Expectations, Council Tax Premiums, Fraud Pressures and Deprivation Indices
Summary of participant views – 24 November 2025 This week’s Monday Discussion Group opened with a sense of déjà vu. With the Budget only days away, Malcolm Gardner remarked that most of its contents seemed to have been pre-announced, leaving little mystery for Wednesday. Paul Howarth agreed, noting that Budget leaks usually reflect firm Treasury…
Pension Credit Take-Up, Notional Income, and the Real Value of Minimum Wage
Independent Revenues & Benefits Monday Discussion Group10 November 2025 The latest Monday Discussion Group, chaired by Malcolm Gardner, explored pension credit take-up, changes to notional pension income rules, and the real impact of the new national minimum wage. Pension Credit Take-Up Gareth Morgan (Dangos Training) opened the session with analysis of new DWP data showing…
Why We Should Not Be Surprised That Reform UK’s Councils Are Struggling
When Reform UK swept to power in several county councils earlier this year, Nigel Farage hailed their victories as a “tectonic shift in British politics.” Kent, in particular, became the test bed for what Reform called a new era of efficiency — modelled on the “chainsaw” approach of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)….
Independent R&B Discussion Group: Benefits, Work and the Future Workforce
At the latest Independent R&B Monday Discussion Group, chaired by Malcolm Gardner, members took a deep dive into the stubborn issue of unclaimed benefits, the challenges of Universal Credit, and the shifting dynamics of the local government workforce. Billions Unclaimed Malcolm opened with the headline finding from Policy in Practice: £24 billion in benefits goes…
Monday Discussion Group Returns: From Reshuffles to Rents and AI
The Independent Revenues & Benefits Monday Discussion Group was back on 8 September, with Malcolm Gardner welcoming everyone after the summer break. Smiles all round, though the mood paused for a moment as Malcolm paid tribute to Leigh Barber from NEC, who recently passed away after a long battle with cancer. Leigh’s determination and his…
Mid-Break Highlights from the Independent Revenues & Benefits Discussion Group
1 September 2025 We’re on our summer pause, so instead of a live session this week we’ve shared the second mid-break slide pack. It’s a chance to catch up on what’s happening across revenues and benefits while we recharge. We’ll be back together on Monday 8 September. So, what’s inside this week’s pack? Plenty to…
Local Government’s Breaking Point: Financial Fragility, Workforce Decline, and the Failure to Focus on Outcomes
Summary of the Independent Revenues & Benefits Discussion Group – 14 July 2025 At the most recent Independent Revenues & Benefits (R&B) Discussion Group, chaired by Malcolm Gardner, local government professionals gave a sobering assessment of the sector’s current state. With escalating financial deficits, an ageing and shrinking workforce, and new pressures from political reforms,…
Independent R&B Discussion Group: Spending Review Analysis
The latest meeting of the Independent R&B Discussion Group, chaired by Malcolm Gardner, convened to discuss the recent Spending Review and its implications across government departments, local authorities, and welfare provision. The session included detailed contributions from a range of experts: Paul Howarth, Gareth Morgan, Alex Clegg, Rachael Walker, Sean O’Sullivan, Robert Fox, and Bob…
31/03/25 Spring Statement Sparks Concerns over Welfare Cuts and Public Service Viability
Spring Statement Sparks Concerns over Welfare Cuts and Public Service Viability The UK government’s recent Spring Statement, delivered amid warnings of economic uncertainty, has prompted serious concern among local government leaders and policy experts. As outlined during the Independent R&B Discussion Group on 31 March 2025, the policy direction—particularly in relation to welfare reform and…