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Council Tax Reduction: Practical approaches to policy reform and supporting the most vulnerable

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Title	Date	Start Time	Duration	Register
Council Tax Reduction: Practical approaches to policy reform and supporting the most vulnerable In recent years, Council Tax arrears in England have hit a record £6 billion. As we move into 2026, the design of local Council Tax Reduction (CTR) schemes remains one of the most powerful levers councils have to protect low income residents from falling into arrears. Join us at this webinar to explore practical solutions focused on: • Trends in council tax support schemes: Preparing for LGR and the April budget changes • Streamlined collection: Aligning CTR scheme design to make it simple to administer, and combine this with flexible, effective and sustainable debt management practices • Local government reorganisation: Best practices to harmonise disparate schemes and be ready for the transition • Efficiency through automation: How South Norfolk & Broadland councils are working to increase take-up while reducing the administrative burden of Universal Credit fluctuations through income-banded schemes and automated modelling The policy landscape is shifting rapidly. The government’s new Child Poverty Strategy introduces statutory requirements for councils to ensure their schemes actively reduce inequality and align with supportive collection practices, while LGR and changes to local government funding impact on scheme design. Deven Ghelani (Director) and Rory Ewan (Senior Policy and Data Analyst) of Policy in Practice will discuss the impact of these policy changes and practical approaches based on our analysis of over 150 schemes. We will also be joined by Lindsay Sayer who will share her experience of CTRS redesign in South Norfolk and Broadland, and harmonisation across the districts. This webinar will aim to provide Heads of Revenues and Benefits, Revenues Managers, Finance Directors and policy leads with the tools to navigate complex legislative changes and design data driven, resilient schemes. By acting now, councils can turn these policy challenges into an opportunity to deliver fairer, more efficient support.	17/2/2026j/n/Y	10:30am GMT2026-02-17T10:30:00Zg:ia T	1 hour	Register
Unifying the tenant journey: Overcoming fragmented support from lettings to collections	25/3/2026j/n/Y	10:30am GMT2026-03-25T10:30:00Zg:ia T	1 hour	Register

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Policy
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A path to better Council Tax Support schemesRead more

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Council Tax Reduction schemes in 2027: The factors to considerRead more

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Making the Crisis and Resilience Fund work for councils

View our practical advice to help councils deliver crisis support and invest in resilience services

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Letters that changed lives: Boosting Attendance Allowance take up in London

How five London Boroughs unlocked more than £1 million a year in unclaimed Attendance Allowance for their older residents

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How councils can make the most of Universal Credit data through DWP’s latest MOU

Key changes expected in DWP’s 2025 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with local authorities

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New analysis: Deductions and sanctions for people on Universal Credit

We call for an extension of the Fair Repayment Rate to other policies that reduce Universal Credit allowances

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Council Tax Reduction: Practical approaches to policy reform and supporting the most vulnerable

IRRV Insights Magazine

Making the Crisis and Resilience Fund work for councils

Letters that changed lives: Boosting Attendance Allowance take up in London

How councils can make the most of Universal Credit data through DWP’s latest MOU

New analysis: Deductions and sanctions for people on Universal Credit

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