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Cabinet to discuss Barnsley Council’s investment to support residents this winter
Next week, Cabinet members will meet to discuss plans to invest £4 million this winter in targeted financial support to residents.
This investment has been made possible by additional one-off funds from an improved local government financial settlement for 2025 to 2026. This enables us to invest in initiatives that support our Council Plan priorities, such as financial support for businesses and free bus travel for under 18s, announced earlier this year.
Options will be presented that, if approved, will grow Barnsley Council’s Council Tax related support schemes to help people who need it most. This includes:
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100% Council Tax reductions for households where one occupant is nearing the end-of-life due to a terminal illness.
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£100 cost of living allowance for working age people and pensioners that are receiving Council Tax Support. This will be extended to include care leavers, people who receive a Council Tax exemption for Severe Mental Impairments and people in supported accommodation who are not responsible for paying Council Tax. This has been part-funded by the Government’s Household Support Scheme. The proposal is estimated to support over 16,000 working age people and over 7,800 pensioners.
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Working with Yorkshire Water to automatically award eligible households with water bill reductions through the WaterSure and Water Support schemes. The proposal is estimated to support around 11,000 households.
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A £500 travel allowance to support employed residents who receive Council Tax Support, including care leavers, as part of our commitment to support more people to find and stay in employment through Pathways to Work. This financial support is designed to help cover travel costs, making it easier for people on low incomes to access work opportunities and benefit from Barnsley’s well-connected transport network. The proposal is estimated to support over 3,000 residents.
If approved, more information about these financial support schemes will be shared over the coming weeks.
Councillor Robert Frost, Cabinet Spokesperson for Core Services, said: “We want to do everything we can to support our residents to have more money in their pockets this winter. That’s why Barnsley Council is investing in an innovative approach to reviewing our Council Tax related support schemes to identify where we can make a difference for those who need it most.”
Find out how you could save money or get help in a range of areas, at barnsley.gov.uk/MoreMoneyInYourPocket.
You can find more information about the report in the cabinet papers on our website.
