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  "description": "A Leicester woman claims controversial changes to council tax rules continue to discriminate against disabled people ",
  "path": "/i-did-not-choose-to-be-disabled-criticism-over-discriminatory-council-tax-rules/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-26T06:00:14.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.leicester.news",
  "tags": [
    "Leicester Gazette",
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    "Learn more",
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  "textContent": "This story was written by the ****local democracy reporting service (LDRS),**** a BBC-funded scheme to improve the coverage of issues relating to local democracy. The Leicester Gazette has been a partner in the scheme since March 2024, and so receives some stories as part of it.\n\n****Because LDRS reporters are not employed by the Gazette, their stories do not follow our style guide or**** standards code****.****\n\n\n                            Learn more\n                        \n\nA Leicester woman claims controversial changes to council tax rules continue to discriminate against disabled people – and a one-off payment meant to help her does not address wider issues.\n\nStephanie Holland spoke out after changes introduced by Leicester City Council altered the way council tax support is calculated.\n\nThe change, which came into force last year, has led to higher bills for some people claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP).\n\nCouncil tax support is awarded through a means-tested scheme that places residents into different bands. However, since April 2025, PIP has been counted as income under the scheme, reducing the level of support some residents receive.\n\nAccording to the Local Government Association, nearly 25,000 people in Leicester claimed PIP in January 2026 – that’s the equivalent of one in every 11 people.\n\nThis is one of the highest totals recorded by a UK local authority.\n\nMs Holland, from Spinney Hills, was among those affected by last year’s change.\n\nThe 32-year-old lives with both physical and mental disabilities and said she had to fight “tooth and nail” to secure PIP payments, which she relies on for essentials including food and travel to healthcare appointments.\n\nFollowing the council’s changes, Ms Holland said her monthly council tax bill rose from £20 to £76. She said she was given little explanation for the increase.\n\n## Join the conversation\n\nOur app is more than just a way to keep up – it's a gateway to award-winning journalism and the local community.\n\n\n\n\n__Want to support our work?__ Click here for membership__.__\n\nAfter raising the issue with City Mayor Peter Soulsby, Ms Holland was awarded more than £500 in discretionary relief in May 2026.\n\nIn correspondence confirming the payment, council officers said they had “reviewed” her circumstances and decided that the PIP she receives would no longer be counted as income.\n\nLeicester City Council said discretionary help is available on a “case-by-case” basis to residents facing financial hardship.\n\nWhile Ms Holland said she welcomed the additional support, she argued that individual awards do not resolve what she believes is a wider problem affecting disabled residents across the city.\n\nShe said: “The ableism and discrimination from Leicester City Council needs to stop. I did not choose to be disabled, I did not choose to not be able to afford to live and I most certainly did not choose to struggle both financially and mentally because of my disabilities.\n\n“This behaviour is beyond what is acceptable. PIP is already a gruelling process that disabled people have to go through every two to three years, and to hear it’s essentially coming back and biting us is unacceptable.”\n\nA city council spokesman said: “Where a resident is struggling to pay their council tax, we can also consider additional discretionary support. These awards are made on a case-by-case basis, taking account of the household’s circumstances, financial position and any exceptional hardship.\n\n“This allows us to provide targeted help where the standard scheme doesn’t fully reflect someone’s circumstances. We will support residents with affordable council tax payment arrangements where needed, and signpost them to wider help and advice through our benefits and support pages at www.leicester.gov.uk/benefits.\n\n“We are also administering the Government’s new Crisis and Resilience Fund, which aims to provide additional support to households facing financial hardship. This has a focus not only on immediate crisis but also on helping residents build longer-term financial resilience. More information on the fund is available on our website: https://www.leicester.gov.uk/benefits-and-support/step-by-step/crisis-and-resilience-fund\n\n* * *\n\n**Before you go…** We've recently surpassed 1,000 subscribers, which is amazing considering we're a small team on a shoestring budget.\n\nNow, we're ready for the next stage of the Leicester Gazette. **Download our new app and get all of our journalism anytime, anywhere.**\n\nThe app connects with **Bluesky** , **Mastodon** and **Threads** , giving you access to a network of around 60 million people. It's a safer, more meaningful alternative to mainstream social media – owned by the community.\n\n* * *",
  "title": "‘I did not choose to be disabled’ – criticism over ‘discriminatory’ council tax rules",
  "updatedAt": "2026-05-26T08:00:15.656Z"
}