Hammersmith wants to waive council tax for ‘heroic’ foster carers

By Ben Lynch, Local Democracy Reporter

Foster carers will no longer have to pay council tax in one west London borough, as the local authority looks to increase support for what it called the community’s “quiet heroes”.

Hammersmith and Fulham council already provides exemptions from council tax for several groups, including war widows and those on low incomes.

The local authority has either frozen or cut council tax five times in the past nine years, with 47 per cent of residents receiving some sort of discount.

During a cabinet meeting last week, council leader Stephen Cowan described the proposal to exempt foster carers as “an extremely important measure”.

In a report presented by Cllr Rowan Ree, cabinet member for finance and reform, officers wrote the number of homes the local authority expects to collect council tax from in 2024/25 had risen by 2,177 when compared to 2023/24, up from 83,936 to 86,113.

This is largely due to new properties being added over the year, as well as an expected drop in the number of people receiving certain discounts.

Cllr Ree told cabinet members one of the key changes to the council’s tax base proposed for 2024/25 was the addition of foster carers to those who are exempt, “in light of the vital and important work that they do”.

Cllr Cowan said residents are supported by “quiet heroes” who “give a little bit of themselves to others”, which includes foster carers.

“So our message to all foster carers is one of gratitude, and the fact that we can underline that by exempting them from council tax is something that I think is an extremely important measure.”

As well as supporting foster carers, the report proposes continuing to charge the full council tax premium available – double the normal rate – on empty and ‘substantially unfurnished’ homes. It notes there were 2,711 second homes in the borough and 704 empty properties.

Cllr Cowan said people owning but not living in such homes “damages the community”, adding: “There’s nobody in any part of our society that is not affected by the housing crisis.”

Having been agreed by cabinet, the report is now due to go before full council tomorrow, with officers recommending it is approved for 2024/25.

Picture: Hammersmith and Fulham council offices (Picture: Google Street View)