Folkestone & Hythe council tax support for low-income households set to increase
Enhanced support to begin in April for working age households
A revised council tax reduction scheme designed to assist working age, low-income households in Folkestone & Hythe is scheduled to come into effect in April.
In response to the rising cost of living and the withdrawal of incentive funding from Kent County Council, Folkestone & Hythe District Council has developed an approach offering up to 100% support.
Beginning with the start of the 2026/27 financial year, eligible households will automatically receive the following enhanced assistance:
Band one changes
Households classified under Band one will receive 100% support, an increase from 75%.
Band two changes
Band two households will see support rise to 75% from the previous 55%.
Band three changes
Support for Band three households will increase to 50% from 35%.
Band four changes
Households in Band four will benefit from 25% support, up from 22%.
Cllr Tim Prater, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Governance, said: "This improved council tax reduction scheme will give more help to the residents who need it most. Many of the people who will benefit are already working but still need extra assistance just to survive.
"When we introduced the second homes premium last year, we said we wanted any extra money to support the most vulnerable households in the district – this change does exactly that."
The revised scheme aligns the reductions for working age households with those offered to pension age households as established by central government.
Currently, nearly 6,000 working age households in the district receive council tax reduction and will receive correspondence outlining these changes in their annual bills.