Overview

Council Tax Reduction, or CTR, reduces the Council Tax bill of people on low incomes.

This consultation is about the working-age Council Tax Reduction scheme only. Support for people who have reached State Pension age is governed by national rules and is not being changed through this consultation. For information about Council Tax Reduction for pension-age residents, see Council Tax Reduction for pension-age residents.

From 1 April 2027, East Surrey Council is expected to operate one working-age CTR scheme across the five areas joining the new authority. The existing schemes use different rules and assessment methods. The new Council therefore needs to decide how support should be calculated consistently across East Surrey.

The draft scheme proposes:

• to provide up to 100% support towards eligible Council Tax
• to include properties in all Council Tax bands, and not to limit support to a maximum band
• applicants with more than £16,000 in savings or capital will not qualify
• a conventional means test with a 20% taper, where support is reduced by 20p for every £1 over an assessed amount
• a standard £10 per week non-dependent deduction
• a £5 per week minimum CTR award
• to treat self-employed income as matching the national minimum wage after 12 months, known as a Minimum Income Floor
• up to three months backdating, with alignment to new Universal Credit claims where appropriate
• time-limited transitional protection for some existing claimants who would otherwise experience a significant reduction when moving to the new scheme

The Council Tax Reduction scheme has not yet been agreed. The Council will consider consultation responses alongside financial modelling, the Equality Impact Assessment, operational evidence, and other relevant information before deciding the final scheme.

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Accessibility

Read how we make this website accessible in our accessibility statement. 

If you require the survey in a different format, language or in hard copy (including a stamped addressed envelope to return the survey), please contact:

Telephone: 01372 474474 (Elmbridge Borough Council contact centre is acting on behalf of East Surrey Council for this consultation)
Textphone (via Relay UK): 18001 01372 474474
Email: Ctrseastsurrey@surreylgrhub.gov.uk

If you would like a paper copy returned by post, we can also provide a copy with a stamped addressed envelope.

British Sign Language (BSL) users: visit www.surreycc.gov.uk/bsl for information about how to contact us using BSL.

Easy Read and large print versions of these documents are currently being prepared and will be added to this page soon. If you would like to be notified when they are available, please email the address above.

Have your say

Your feedback will help us to shape services that are fair, and better in line with current and future needs, whilst also remaining affordable and delivering good value for money with the available budget.

Please send any hard copy responses to: Resident Insight Unit, Woodhatch Place, 11 Cockshot Hill, Woodhatch, Reigate, RH2 8EF.

This consultation is open from 7 October 2026 and will close on 3 December 2026 at 11:59pm.