Council tax cuts and payment holidays - the help available for families in South Tyneside during the coronavirus crisis

Borough bosses have confirmed working-age families already receiving Council Tax support will see £150 cut from their bills.

And they will also be able to delay their payments until October as part of a package of measures to ease the strain caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Coun Ed Malcolm, cabinet member for Resources and Innovation at South Tyneside Council, said: “These are unprecedented times and we recognise that this crisis is adding an additional financial strain to some of the most vulnerable in our communities.

“We are committed to doing everything in our power to help those people most in need and we are working around the clock to support them.”

The council has also set up a new hardship fund to ‘support residents in financial crisis’.

Council tenants are also expected to see measures intended to ‘ease the financial burden of rent payment’.

The most recent government budget, unveiled earlier in March, included provision for a separate Hardship Fund worth £500 million to support vulnerable families most affected by coronavirus.

According to guidance from ministers for local authorities, the latest figures show South Tyneside has a ‘working age caseload’ of 11,563, which is due to see the borough allocated almost £2.5million through the initiative.

The cash can also be used to back ‘local welfare’ schemes, which in the borough can include ‘crisis expenses’ for people struggling to afford food, heating and electricity costs and ‘community care support’, which can help with other housing costs for those who meet set criteria.

Councils have also been promised a further £1.6billion to support services, such as adult social care and help for the homeless, affected by the outbreak.

In a statement to councils, Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick promised ministers would do ‘whatever it takes to help’.

He said: “Providing the necessary financial support to people and families is critical at this difficult time when many people will be concerned about changes to their income.

“That’s why we’re giving local councils an additional £500 million, to ensure help is available for the most vulnerable people in our society who are struggling to pay their council tax bills.”