§ Mr. Rhodri MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when her Department notified local authorities in Wales that the imposition of a limit on the amount of council tax benefit awarded to persons residing in council tax band E and above would not be applied to existing recipients of council tax benefits in such properties; and if she will make a statement. [45094]
§ Mr. Keith BradleyFrom 1 April 1998, Council Tax Benefit (CTB) for new CTB claimants living in band F, G or H properties was restricted to the maximum available in band E properties. As an integral part of implementation regulations to protect existing recipients of CTB in properties valued in bands F, G and H were laid on 30 March. On the same day the Department issued guidance to all Local Authorities notifying and explaining the change.
This ensured that some 66,000 CTB recipients were protected at the point of change.