AN EXEMPTION from council tax payments for young people leaving care will come into effect from Sunday, April 1 in Torfaen, following council approval.

In October, following a motion from Cllr Colette Thomas, Torfaen council became the first authority in Wales to consider freezing payments for 16-year-olds until the age of 21 - or 25 in special cases.

On Tuesday, councillors agreed to apply the discount to all care leavers in the borough as it reviewed the council tax reduction scheme (CTRS) for 2018/19.

The local authority has also agreed to uphold its decision to disregard the whole amount of war disablement pensions and war widows pensions for those claiming the benefit payments.

There will be no changes in terms of council tax reductions to those returning to work of four weeks or backdating the period of late claims of three months.

Cllr Anthony Hunt, the leader of Torfaen council said, the authority was leading the way in Wales with the council tax discount for care leavers.

"I think we led the way in Wales on this and it’s a good example of a targeted intervention to help a group of vulnerable people," he said.

"In the absence of Cllr [Colette] Thomas, I just wanted to commend her work on the care leavers discount."

According to the proposals, a care leaver is described as a “resident in Torfaen and has been in the care of a local authority - looked after - for a period or cumulative periods equalling at least 13 weeks since the age of 14 and which ended on or after their 16th birthday” as detailed in the Children (Care Leavers) Act 2000.

In the report from Torfaen’s assistant chief executive officer, Nigel Aurelius, and the head of revenues and benefits, Richard Davies, the council tax discount would create a level field for all care leavers in the borough and would help the 160 young people set to leave care in Torfaen.

“There are 160 care leavers that the council is discharging its responsibility for at present, of those 35 are liable for the full council tax charge and of these 33 are covered by a full council tax reduction with two liable to pay council tax and therefore potentially qualifying for a discount,” the report stated.

“In respect of care leavers who are not liable but living in a household, social services advise that there are small numbers.

“The purpose of the policy criteria is not to disadvantage those households where a care leaver is resident and to ensure they have stability and support.

“The intention in most cases would be to disregard the care leaver in respect of council tax.”

In October, the motion received unanimously support from the councillors, with Cllr Thomas citing the "duty to care leavers" within the authority for one of its "most vulnerable groups in our community".

She said: "As a corporate parent the council should aim to keep young people safe and improve their live chances."

Regarding the pensions, Cllr Hunt said: "I believe we were the first council in Wales to disregard this and that’s a good thing for those who are receipt of those benefits because they don’t have them taken into account when receiving other benefits."