Lower income residents in Merton will benefit from council tax support for another year.

On Monday night, the council’s cabinet agreed on the council tax support scheme for 2019/20.

Cabinet member for finance Cllr Mark Allison said: “Back in 2013, it was imposed upon councils that they would receive 10 per cent less from the government expenditure for council tax benefits.

“And the government challenged local authorities to reduce the amount of money that went to people who are in receipt of local council tax.

“I’m pleased to say in Merton we have resisted passing on that saving to residents for as long as we’ve been able to.

“We will do our best to continue this. Obviously the government is consistently reducing the amount of money it gives to local authorities and challenges local authorities to reduce the amount of money they give to their poorest residents.”

It is estimated that £11 million will be spent in 2019/20 on council tax support, with those on low incomes or on benefits eligible for the help.

Council leader Cllr Stephen Alambritis said: “This is one we hold dear in terms of supporting people. I know that family and friends live across boroughs and one family in a different borough would say my council tax support has gone down while the other one from Merton would say ours hasn’t, it’s stayed steady for the last eight years.”

Also in the paper was council tax reforms which will see empty properties charged 50 per cent more council tax.

In the borough, there are 166 long-term empty properties. Of these, 13 have been empty for 10 years or more, 18 empty for between five and 10 years and 135 empty for between two and five years.

Director of corporate services Caroline Holland said: “We are looking to charge the increased premium on properties that have been empty for a significant period of time in order to encourage their use for residential accommodation.”