Barnet residents receiving council tax benefits will see a drop in the amount they are given from next month.

The council tax support scheme, run by local councils, will come in on April 1 to replace council tax benefits previously issued by the government.

Parliament has handed control of the financial support system to local authorities but lowered the amount of cash available to them by 10 per cent.

In Barnet, approximately 14,000 people on council tax benefits, excluding pensioners who are unaffected, will see an 8.5 per cent drop in the amount they receive.

Those who currently pay nothing will therefore start contributing to their council tax.

Barnet Council is writing to anyone who is affected by the system change.

For more information visit www.barnet.gov.uk  or call 020 8359 2111.