Young people who leave the care of Bedford Borough Council should not pay any Council Tax until the age of 25, according to Conservative Cllr Jane Walker.

The Children’s Society has recently launched a campaign highlighting the difficulty of young people managing their budgets for the first time upon leaving the care of local authorities. Without the support of family members, care leavers are more likely to encounter financial difficulty and debt.

Cllr Walker, who is the Chair of the Council’s Children’s Services Committee, and Conservative Group Leader Cllr Stephen Moon are now backing the Children’s Society’s campaign for a Council Tax exemption for this group and have submitted a proposal accordingly to a meeting of all councillors this evening (6th December).

Cllr Walker said:

‘Research in recent years has found that young adults are far more likely to face financial problems if they have left care. Without the backing of the ‘bank of mum and dad’ and a lack of family guidance it can be very difficult for young care leavers to find their feet when managing budgets.

‘Each councillor has a duty of care towards children in care. If we can make sure that they do not have to pay Council Tax until the age of 25, we can provide more of a level playing field after their difficult start to life.’