Croydon Council to consider consultation on 2027-28 Council Tax Support changes

Croydon Council is set to vote on launching a major public consultation on potential changes to its Council Tax Support scheme for the 2027-28 financial year, affecting working-age households in Norbury.

Croydon Council’s Cabinet is scheduled to consider a major public consultation on proposed changes to its Council Tax Support (CTS) scheme for the upcoming 2027-28 financial year. If approved, the consultation will launch later this month, directly affecting working-age households across Croydon, including those in Norbury SW16.

Review of the £39 Million Scheme

The council is legally required to review its Council Tax Support scheme annually. Under the current Best Value instructions from the government to improve its long-term financial resilience, Croydon is examining all major areas of discretionary and supportive spend. The CTS scheme cost approximately £39 million in the 2025/26 financial year, of which around £25 million went toward supporting working-age residents on low incomes or receiving benefits.

Potential Changes Under Consultation

The upcoming consultation will seek feedback on several avenues to keep the scheme sustainable and targeted. Proposed areas of review include:

Potential reductions in some levels of council tax support.
Tightening of specific eligibility protections for certain working-age groups.
Adjustments to how resident income and household savings are assessed.

Any potential changes will only affect working-age residents; pension-age CTS recipients remain protected under national guidelines.

What it Means for Norbury Residents

For Norbury households currently receiving Council Tax Support—following the council's previous promotion of the support scheme earlier this year—the consultation offers an important opportunity to voice local perspectives before any policy revisions are drafted. Local advice services and ward councillors are expected to share information on how to access the online consultation once the council officially launches it.

The Timeline to April 2027

If the Cabinet authorizes the consultation at its meeting on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, the public feedback period will run into autumn. Following the consultation, the council plans to bring formal recommendations to the Cabinet later in the year, culminating in a final decision by the Full Council in February 2027 alongside the setting of the broader 2027-28 budget. Any approved changes would take effect from April 2027.