Featured
- Help with the rising cost of livingLearn more about support announced by us, the Government and othersView available support
- Get help through Hackney Money HubGet help if you're struggling with finances, need help or advice with the benefits system, or even facing homelessnessApply to Money Hub
- Find support servicesFind local organisations offering support, advice and activities to Hackney and City residentsFind out more
Get involved
Council news
We’re calling residents to try and reduce their Council Tax
7th December 2023
From Tuesday 12 December we’re calling residents on low incomes to help reduce their Council Tax bills.We’re calling Hackney residents that we know are claiming Universal Credit but have not claimed Council Tax Reduction. Why we’re callingWe know lots of people miss out on Council Tax Reduction which lowers the amount of Council Tax that they need to pay. We’re calling residents to help them make this claim with us over the phone so that they don’t miss out on the support that they’re entitled to.This is a shortened form for a particular group of residents. The application process only takes about 5 minutes and we don’t need to ask lots of questions. Make a claimIf you’ve had a text from us and would rather make a claim yourself online you can do so here: Council Tax Reduction short claim formPlease note this is only available to residents we have sent texts to. If you have not received a text, but would like to apply to Council Tax Reduction you can do so here: Council Tax Reduction standard form What happens nextOnce you have completed the form we will check if you qualify for Council Tax Reduction. We will write to you to let you know if you qualify. If you are awarded Council Tax Reduction we will send you a new lower Council Tax bill.
Cabinet to decide next week on the proposals to close or merge schools in Hackney
7th December 2023
On 11 December, Hackney Cabinet will meet to decide on the proposals to close or merge schools in Hackney as a result of the significant decrease in their pupil numbers. The report that will inform the decision was published online last week. The report recommends that the Cabinet agrees to a number of changes to affect six primary schools in the borough from September 2024:closure of De Beauvoir Primary School;closure of Randal Cremer Primary School; closure of Colvestone Primary School, guaranteeing all children a place at Princess May Primary School if the families want it;closure of Baden Powell Primary School, guaranteeing all children a place at Nightingale Primary School if the families want it;increasing the published admission number at Nightingale Primary School by adding an additional form of entry to all year groups. The proposals, first announced in March this year, are in response to an ongoing decline in the number of school-aged children in Hackney. This reduction means 21% of reception places were unfilled in 2022-2023. Because schools are financed based on the number of pupils they have, the significant decline in pupil numbers has caused some of them to face serious financial and sustainability pressures. In 2022-2023 alone, the 58 primary schools in Hackney were missing more than £30m in funding compared to if classrooms were full. In September 2023, following an informal consultation that took place in the summer of 2023, Hackney Cabinet decided to publish statutory notices of its intention to close/merge the schools. The proposals were published on 6 October 2023, which marked the beginning of a 28-day representation period of statutory consultation during which any person could object to or make comments on the proposals.At the end of the consultation period, 175 responses were submitted online, by email and letter: 164 responses received online via the Council’s online survey platform, Citizen Space; 10 emails and 1 letter. The feedback received during the statutory notice period has been analysed and reviewed by an independent third party, Kwest, and the report included in an Appendix to the Cabinet report. According to the report, 95% of the responses that could be clearly assessed were against the proposals, and 5% supporting them. The Cabinet report advises that, despite the vast majority of the statutory notice comments being against the proposals, the Council should still proceed with the proposed changes, as the objective reasons behind the proposals have not changed, and the decreased demand for primary places across the borough is projected to continue for years to come, impacting more and more the financial viability, sustainability and quality of the Hackney education system as a whole. If the Cabinet decides to proceed with the proposals, families and staff will receive the support they need to help them understand their options and prepare for transition. There will be one-to-one support for families to ensure their children have places at suitable schools, including extra priority for places at nearby schools.More information about the proposals can be found on the project’s webpage.