The council_tax_benefit variable currently has no formula:
class council_tax_benefit(Variable):
...
adds = ["council_tax_benefit_reported"]
This means it only returns a value for FRS-reported recipients — household-calculator users can't get a calculated CTR for hypothetical households, and any reform that changes income won't update CTR eligibility or amount.
Council Tax Reduction is means-tested. Each local authority sets its own scheme (since 2013), but pensioners are still on a national default scheme, and most working-age schemes track UC eligibility closely.
A first cut could:
- Use UC/Pension Credit eligibility as a proxy for full CTR eligibility (most LAs operate a reduction proportional to gross CT for working-age claimants and a 100% rebate for pensioners on the default scheme)
- Default to the national pensioner scheme rules
- Allow per-LA parameterisation as a follow-up
Found while reviewing #1668.
The
council_tax_benefitvariable currently has no formula:This means it only returns a value for FRS-reported recipients — household-calculator users can't get a calculated CTR for hypothetical households, and any reform that changes income won't update CTR eligibility or amount.
Council Tax Reduction is means-tested. Each local authority sets its own scheme (since 2013), but pensioners are still on a national default scheme, and most working-age schemes track UC eligibility closely.
A first cut could:
Found while reviewing #1668.