Edit: Due to the death of Elizabeth II, the Cabinet meeting that was due to discuss this has been cancelled at the last minute – along with all council business this week. Therefore the links to the reports are temporarily available and a decision has been pushed back until the meetings can be rescheduled.
Subject to approval, Bridgend Council is set to announce additional discretionary help concerning cost-of-living, as well as a new council tax discount scheme for second homeowners hosting refugees from Ukraine.
Extra cost-of-living help (pdf)
This is separate from recent £150 payments and is aimed at households that weren’t eligible the first time around.
The £1.24million scheme is planned to be distributed as follows:
£77,000 is held over. The report says that this may be used as financial aid to organisations working with those most at risk during the cost-of-living crisis, such as food banks and – mentioned for the first time – “warm banks”.
Detailed eligibility criteria will likely be available on the council website in due course.
Ukrainian refugee council tax discount scheme for second homes (pdf)
Under Welsh Government regulations, discounts can be applied to refugees being hosted in second homes under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
The regulations were introduced so Ukrainian refugees living in separate accommodation from their sponsors can be treated as though they have access to council tax reduction schemes. At the moment, Ukrainian refugees living in separate accommodation are liable for standard council tax.
Additionally, second home owners who host Ukrainian refugees under the Homes for Ukraine scheme will not have a council tax premium applied.
The impact is expected to be marginal as there are only 26 registered second homes in Bridgend and most Ukrainian refugees already live with their sponsors.
