Young people leaving care in Lichfield and Burntwood will not have to pay council tax until they are 21, Staffordshire County Council has confirmed.
The initiative, which the authority says is designed to help them move into adult life, will start on April 1.
The measures were unveiled at a meeting of the county council’s Cabinet earlier this week and will see around 300 people across Staffordshire benefit.
Cllr Mark Sutton, Cabinet member for children and young people said he hoped the scheme would help those young people who may have challenges in managing their own budgets for the first time.
“When a young adult leaves care and moves into their own accommodation, this can often be the first time they have had to deal with bills and debt,” he said. “Care leavers don’t always have the family and support networks available for most young adults, so living independently can be a challenge in the first few years.
“Much in the same way that students are exempt from paying council tax while they are at university, we want to help young care leavers by making them exempt from paying council tax until they are 21.
“We want these people to make a successful transition from being in care to living in the community, and research from The Children’s Society shows that council tax debt can be a serious barrier to achieving this.
“Like other local councils across the country, we will be ensuring all young adults leaving the care of the county council will be exempt from paying council tax until they are 21. This will hopefully help them avoid debt and give them more time to learn how to manage their finances effectively.”
This is such a sensible idea to help the young people come to terms with the shock of having to pay for everything.