Council tax to be waived for youngsters leaving care system in Peterborough

Young people leaving the care system in Peterborough are set to become exempt from paying council tax.

A proposal to give 18 to 25-year-olds who have left foster or residential care a 100 per cent discount on the charge will be voted on by all councillors on Monday, 20th May.

If passed, it will come into effect immediately.

Peterborough City Council (PCC) estimates the policy will cost £90k per year.

Initially, it will only apply to those who live in Peterborough, but PCC says it will consider a similar offer for care leavers who move to other local authority areas in future.

The move follows an Ofsted report which rated PCC’s children’s services as inadequate – the lowest possible rating – and was particularly critical of its offer for care leavers.

'Current offer is not good enough'

“We know that our current local offer is not good enough to be assured that our care leavers have the best chances of achieving their potential,” PCC says. “In part this is due to a lack of focus on our local young people.”

The policy is one of several aimed at improving this offer.

Together, their cost is “difficult to quantify”, the council says, but it estimates it will add an “additional unbudgeted cost of £142k” in the current financial year.

“This will either need to be funded within the current service budget or reserves,” a PCC report says. “It will be incorporated within the budget from 2025/26 onwards.”

Host of new proposals for care leavers put forward

Other new proposals include providing all care leavers with gym and leisure passes and setting up a drop-in centre where young people can access advice and support.

They’ll also be helped into their new, independent accommodation through van or car hire and have their first shop of essential items such as food and cleaning supplies provided.

New needs-based proposals include providing free WiFi, suitcases for moving house, support for prescriptions, 10 driving lessons as well as a theory and practical test and a hardship fund for activities, clothing, bills and food.

The council says it will also make improvements to some of its existing offers.

For instance, it currently provides bikes to care leavers but the scheme is “not sufficiently publicised and bikes are not of good quality”.

It will also improve its offer of smartphones for care leavers, clothing allowance for interviews, work and funerals and birthday allowances (from £25 for 18th and 21st birthdays and £10 for 19th and 20th birthdays to £50 for 18th, 19th and 20ths and £100 for a 21st).

Next steps include 'training flats' and healthcare

Existing offers include a £3k allowance for setting up their new home, the first month’s rent and deposit where needed and and £2k towards higher education.

A council tax discount was also already in place but was a “bureaucratic route for care leavers”, the council says.

These new and improved offers will be implemented throughout the year.

It will then look to make a “city wide commitment” to improving the offer for care leavers alongside local organisations and businesses such as by developing training flats and specific health resources.

Ofsted will conduct a monitoring visit to ensure progress is being made in July.