IFS criticise council tax benefit fund announcement

Further to the recent rightsnet news story Government announces £100m transition fund to help implement localised council tax support, the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) has raised questions about the government’s late decision to announce a £100million fund to support local authorities with their new council tax benefit schemes.

The IFS say that: “It is hard to square this development with a policy whose stated aim was to devolve responsibility. And why the additional money should be appropriate in the first year of the policy and not later is unclear. But perhaps most worrying is what this says about the policy-making process.” as well as stating: “The case for well thought through reform of the welfare system is overwhelming. The dangers of less fully considered reform - as this one appears to be - are considerable”.

For the full statement, see Late changes to Council Tax Benefit reforms