FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
The proposed amenity charge will apply to all tenants charged rent, but excluding asmall number on affordable rents. If you receive Housing Benefit or Universal Creditthe amenity charge will be covered by the benefit you receive.
An amenity charge (or service charge) is a payment that goes towards the costs of
managing and providing services associated with your tenancy. These are additional
services which are not covered by your rent. The council currently pays the full cost
of these extra services.
From April 2025, it is proposed that tenants will pay an amenity charge to help cover
the costs of:
– Grounds maintenance of housing open spaces – for example cutting grass
and spraying weeds.
– Estate Management of housing open spaces – for example clearing paths and
picking litter.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council, like other councils, has faced significant cuts to its
budget in recent years. As a result, we can simply no longer afford to cover the full
cost of these services. We are not asking residents to cover the full cost of these
services, but we do need tenants to pay a share of the bill, with the council currently
continuing to subsidise the remainder.
We are initially proposing an amenity charge of £1 per rent week.
Credit?
Under current Housing Benefit and Universal Credit regulations, the amenity charge
is eligible for housing benefits and Universal Credit, this means that if you are in
receipt of either benefits, the amenity charge will be covered by those benefits.
housing owned land?
This charge is for keeping housing land clear and tidy, such as clearing paths and
walkways, weed spraying, litter picking, collection of waste materials and repair work
on estates. We remain committed to providing quality services. We complete regular inspections of our estates and meet regularly with service providers to ensure the
services are delivered effectively.
No. Your Council Tax contribution helps to pay for a wide range of public services,
such as social care, refuse collection, libraries and highways maintenance. Due to
the way Local Government is financed, Council Tax does not normally cover costs
which related to services and/or amenities which fall under its Housing service.
No, payment will be collected as part of your weekly rent.
We are proposing to introduce the charge from the April 2025. We cannot introduce
a new charge without consultation with residents as laid down in the Landlord and
Tenant Act 1985. If the charge is introduced the charge will be reviewed on an
annual basis in line with our Rent Policy.
We will write to you around February 2025 to advise you of your new rent.
You don’t need to do anything. We will notify the Housing Benefit Department of any
change and the new charge for 2025/2026. If you currently receive full Housing
Benefit and your circumstances do not change you will not need to pay the charge
as this will be covered by Housing Benefit.
If you currently receive Housing Benefit but it does not cover all the rent your
Housing Benefit claim will be reviewed based on the new rent to be charged. The
Housing Benefit team will write to you in March 2025 after they are informed of the
new rent to be charged.
If you have previously applied for Housing Benefit and been advised that you did not
qualify, then you can speak to us to have this re-assessed as you may now quality
for Housing Benefit or Universal Credit to cover these charges.
It is always best to make a claim if you think you may be eligible. To check if you are
eligible for benefit, you can check online at https://stoke.entitledto.co.uk/Home/Start
Currently you will need to advise the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) of
this change through your online journal.
We work with tenants to offer welfare benefit advice with the aim of maximising their
income and ensuring you receive all the benefits you are entitled to. We can also
refer you to other agencies providing work, benefit and debt management support. If
you would like to speak to one of our Income Advice Officers, please contact
incomeadviceteam@stoke.gov.uk or 01782 231564.
If you need help in completing the survey and providing feedback, please email:
Amenitychargeconsultation@stoke.gov.uk or you can telephone: 01782 237552 and
leave a message with your name and contact details and we will get back to you as
soon as possible.
All comments are welcome and will be considered as part of the consultation. We will
consider all the comments you make. Unfortunately, we are unable to respond to
every comment received, but a summary of findings will be made available at the
end of the process.