Islington Council is protecting Council Tax Support payments for working families – a move that will prevent many families losing more than £150 a year.

Last year, central government decided to cut Housing Benefit for new recipients from working families, by removing an allowance called the ‘Family Premium’.

Islington’s Council Tax Support scheme usually uses the same premiums as the national Housing Benefit scheme in order to work out how much Council Tax Support is awarded to each applicant.

However, the council has decided not to apply this reduction in premiums for its Council Tax Support scheme. This will mean new applicants from working families not losing £3.11 a week of Council Tax Support – or about £150 a year.

Islington Council’s executive member for finance, performance, and community safety, Cllr Andy Hull, said: “We want a fairer Islington where everyone has the chance to enjoy a good quality of life.

“Protecting Council Tax Support for hard-pressed working families means not pilfering the pockets of some of the people who need this money most and helping our residents to cope with rising living costs.

“Despite ongoing massive government cuts, wherever we can we will maintain these sources of extra financial support for lower-income residents.”

By 2020, the council will have lost 70 per cent of its core government funding since 2010.