This will change in April, after Worthing Borough Council voted to scrap the minimum charge entirely.

The Council wanted to find out if residents were in favour of getting rid of that charge to help the most vulnerable in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis.

A public consultation revealed that more than 72.5% believe the level of Council Tax support for working aged residents should be the same as the rules for pensioners meaning those on the very lowest income would be exempt.

Cllr Emma Taylor, Worthing Cabinet Member for Citizen Services, said: “We want to do all we can to help the least financially resilient, so we were keen to see the end of the £5 minimum charge.

It is great to know the majority of residents agree with scrapping this for those who are really struggling with the rocketing cost of living. A saving of £20 per month will offer a small amount of relief to the hardship faced by more than 3,000 households.”

Changes to the system will also make it easier for residents to claim council tax support when they apply for Universal Credit.

Currently, residents have to submit a separate application after claiming Universal Credit, but from April 2023 those eligible for council tax support will automatically receive it after making a Universal Credit claim with the Department for Work and Pensions.

The Council will set its budget for the 2023/24 financial year in February, but first councillors want to know what the community thinks their priorities for investment should be.

It has launched a short online survey for those who live, work or study in the town to give their thoughts on the Council’s budget plans, and how much council tax should be charged.

To take part in the survey for Worthing visit https://surveys.adur-worthing.gov.uk/s/worthing-budget-consultation-2023-w/.