A proposal to cut council tax relief would “hit the poorest families in the borough”, opposition parties are claiming.

Labour’s Redbridge council said that due to government cuts, the council tax relief could be reduced for 2016/17.

The council tax reduction scheme provides help to low income households who have a liability for council tax.

In 2013, councils became responsible for setting their own local schemes but were given a reduced level of funding from government to pay for them.

Redbridge’s scheme asks working age claimants to make a minimum contribution towards the cost of their council tax.

Pensioners can still receive support up to 100 per cent council tax reduction.

A council committee will next week consider increasing the minimum contribution from working age people on low incomes from 5 to 15 percent.

A discretionary hardship fund would increase from £75,000 to £125,000 to provide additional support to people experiencing financial hardships.

Redbridge Conservative leader, Cllr Paul Canal, expressed “astonishment” at the proposed cut which he claims will “hit the poorest families in the borough”.

He said: “Only last week there was wailing and gnashing of teeth from the Labour benches at the prospect of a cut to working families tax credits.

“Only five days later and they are cutting a scheme that Cllr Keith Prince put in place to protect poor and vulnerable residents.”

Lib Dem Redbridge group leader, Cllr Ian Bond, said he was “appalled” with the possible reduction.

He said: “I was the cabinet member that introduced the current support scheme for Redbridge, under which everyone (except pensioners) pays towards their council tax, but for the lowest income families this is limited to a 5 per cent charge.

“I am proud that we managed to provide more support for our low income residents.

“By proposing to treble the amount that people have to pay, Labour will be hitting poor people hard."

Labour councillor Ross Hatfull, cabinet member for benefits, said that if the tax relief was not cut then the council would have to reduce other front line services for vulnerable residents.

“The government continues to make steep cuts and between 2010 and 2018, they will have slashed around £100m from our budget, which is over half of our direct grant," he said.

“In the face of these severe cuts, we have been forced to consider increasing the minimum contribution for people on low incomes.

“Although this is a difficult decision, we have to balance our duty to provide an affordable and fair council tax reduction scheme, with providing services for all council tax payers.

“And we will continue to protect our most vulnerable residents by increasing our discretionary hardship fund.”

The possible reduction is set to be discussed by the Neighbourhoods and Communities Service Committee at 7.15pm on Wednesday (December 2) at Redbridge town hall in Ilford.