Cllr Elliot Keck explains why Westminster is looking closely at council tax support, and who it will not affect.
Westminster has long allowed many working-age households to pay no council tax at all, through full council tax support. With Westminster's council tax low, it seemed something the council could afford.
Cllr Elliot Keck, Deputy Cabinet Member for Value for Money and Finance, says that has to be looked at again.
Why now
The council is facing £100 million off its main government grant, on top of tens of millions of pounds in cost savings due to inflation and reserves that the last council raided. That means a difficult decision on council tax next year. No decision has been made, but Elliot says it is no secret that it is going to be a significant increase.
Is it fair?
Can the council really ask hard-working, tax-paying households up and down Westminster to pay a lot more, when thousands of households use council services just as much, if not more, and pay nothing towards them?
Westminster is also an outlier in London. Most London councils do not provide 100% council tax support. They ask everybody to pay a little, 20%, 30% or even more, whether they are run by Labour, Conservatives or Greens.
Pensioners are protected
Any change would affect only working-age households. Pensioners on a very low income who currently receive council tax support would not be asked to pay a penny, in Pimlico, Paddington, St John's Wood or anywhere else in Westminster.
Elliot says: "We will continue to protect you."
