Liberal Democrat County Councillors have called for care leavers in Surrey to be exempted from paying council tax until they are 25 following a campaign which was initiated by the highly respected charity, The Children’s Society.

The reasoning behind this is simple – care leavers have some of the worst life chances in the country. 20% of young homeless people have previously been in care, 24% of the adult prison population have been in care, 70% of sex workers have been in care and only 6% of care leavers are in higher education at 19.

Without the family support most young people get as they become adults, care leavers often struggle to juggle their household bills and make ends meet. Many find themselves in debt, or having to go without food or other basic necessities. To expect some of the country’s most vulnerable young people to start paying Council Tax just days after leaving care is setting them up to fail.

Care leavers have also had their childhoods punctuated by instability and trauma, they leave home earlier and have less support than other young people. We recognise that taking care leavers out of the Council Tax system is not a silver bullet to the challenges they face but it will be a step in the right direction and will help these young people make a successful transition out of care. By investing in young people at this stage, the County Council can help prevent more costly interventions in the future.