YOUNG adults living alone will now benefit from a 100 percent council tax discount from Test Valley Borough Council from April.

Test Valley Borough Council’s Cabinet gave the green light to a proposal to give care leavers the discount until they turn 25-years-old.

Those living with other adults would also be disregarded for council tax purposes until their 25th birthday.

The policy will ensure foster carers will not be financially worse off with council tax if a person leaving care comes to stay with them.

The move follows a recommendation from the Children’s Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, for local authorities to introduce council tax exemptions for care leavers.

Councillor Nick Adams-King, deputy leader of Test Valley Borough Council, said: "I am delighted that at last night's Test Valley Borough Council meeting, my colleagues unanimously approved our proposal to give a 100 percent council tax discount to Care Leavers until their 25th birthday.

"The policy will also ensure foster carers are not financially worse off for council tax purposes if the person leaving care stays with their family after their 18th birthday.

"I am passionate about support for children in care and spoke in the debate to highlight the importance of this proposal."

Finance portfolio holder for Test Valley Borough Council, councillor Maureen Flood, said: “I’m really pleased that my fellow colleagues have supported the recommendation from cabinet to support some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

"Care leavers can find themselves at increased risk of experiencing homelessness or being involved in crime, and therefore we need to continue helping them any way we can.

“We are constantly reviewing the support that we offer, as a council, to make sure we help them to achieve financially independent living.”

In the local policy, care leavers are described young people aged between 16 and 25 who have been cared for by a local authority for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14.

The move is going to come into effect on April 1, 2020.