Overview
- Under the proposals households would automatically pay council tax over 12 months, cutting average band D instalments by about £38 each month
- New rules would lengthen the period before councils can demand an annual sum or deploy bailiffs after missed payments
- The government is seeking views on simplifying the process for challenging council tax bands and improving billing transparency
- Officials plan to rename the “severe mental impairment” discount to “significant cognitive impairment” to update eligibility criteria
- Martin Lewis and charities such as the Money Advice Trust have praised the reforms as a vital step for easing pressures on vulnerable households