TORFAEN council has become the first local authority in Wales to exempt care leavers from council tax up to the age of 21.

Councillors agreed unanimously to back a motion put forward by Cllr Collette Thomas to remove the burden of council tax for care leavers up until the age of 21, or 25 with discretion.

A recent report from the Children’s Commissioner for Wales found that many care leavers are living on as little as £8 a day, with council tax their biggest outgoing cost after rent.

Based on current numbers, about 30 care leavers in the borough will be affected by the changes which will be implemented from April 2018.

Cllr Anthony Hunt, the leader of Torfaen council, said: “There are many challenges for care leavers and making them exempt from paying council tax is a small measure to help their transition from the care environment into adult life.

“Care leavers often survive on very small amounts of money and after rent, council tax can be their biggest bill.

"By removing this burden we are helping some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.”

Cllr Thomas added: “This is a small investment from the council that will make a big difference to some of the most vulnerable young people in our communities.

“We have a responsibility to these young people as ‘corporate parents’ and this could help care leavers’ maintain their independence and keep a roof over their heads while helping to improve wellbeing and mental health, and avoid substance misuse.”

When asked, Blaenau Gwent council, Caerphilly council and Newport council said they have no plans to follow Torfaen’s lead.

A Newport City Council spokeswoman said: “Care leavers who are aged over 18 are not specifically exempt from council tax and the council does not fund any additional reductions.

“However the Welsh council tax reduction scheme is very different to England’s in that the Welsh scheme allows for recipients to receive up to 100 per cent reduction depending on their income so a care leaver who was not working would not have to pay anything towards their council tax.

“In England a care leaver in receipt of JSA or UC would have to pay a percentage of the council tax regardless of their income, in some parts of England this can be as high as 30 per cent so perhaps that is why they are introducing the additional care leaver provisions.”

A spokeswoman for Blaenau Gwent council added: "There is no specific policy relating to council tax exemption for care leavers in Blaenau Gwent, however there is a policy which applies an exemption to a residence solely occupied by residents up to the age of 18.

"This means that anyone leaving care up to this age to occupy a dwelling would not have to pay council tax.

"It is also our experience that in many cases care leavers are already in receipt of the relevant required benefits such as Jobseekers Allowance/Employment and Support Allowance that carry with them an exemption from paying council tax."

A Caerphilly council spokeswoman said: “While there are currently no plans to introduce such a measure in Caerphilly CBC, as with anyone else, care leavers would only become liable to pay council tax from their 18th birthday onwards. 

“From the age of 18, we would then look to offer them any appropriate discounts or exemptions that may apply in their situation, e.g. a 25 per cent single person discount if they live alone, or a student discount/exemption.

"In addition, if they were on a low income, they could apply for a council tax reduction (formerly council tax benefit) to help reduce the bill."

Monmouthshire County Council were contacted for comment.