REDUCED council tax bills will be sent out to low income households across the Dudley borough over the next few weeks as part of a £3million help package, the council has announced.

The government has made cash available to cut council tax bills for eligible people as part of its £500million hardship fund, and it aims to provide council tax relief to help vulnerable people and households most affected by coronavirus.

Reduced council tax bills will be issued to around 14,000 eligible residents in Dudley in the next few weeks.

Eligible people will see their bills reduce by up to £150, for this financial year. The initiative also includes working age people who have already had their bills reduced by an award of Council Tax Reduction (CTR), or those of working age being awarded CTR for the first time.

Councillor Steve Clark, Dudley's cabinet member for finance, said: "The coronavirus is having a massive effect on people both on their health and their finances.

"This financial support will go to the people who need it most, and will be a welcome piece of good news during what are very worrying times."

The bills of those people eligible for the reduction will be calculated automatically, a spokesman for the council confirmed.