Council tax discounts for young people leaving care in York could be tapered to stop them facing a cliff edge when they end under new plans.

Proposed updates to City of York Council’s Local Offer for Care Leavers also include offering bus passes until the age of 25, access to a mindfulness app and support with broadband costs.

But they would also see an end to the council covering university accommodation costs in their entirety to individual assessments.

A council report on the proposals stated they aim to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach and balance with support offered to young people not going to university.

The proposals which are set for a council decision on Tuesday, September 3 follows a consultation with young people in the care system in York and national feedback.

They aim to support young people transition to adulthood as they leave care in place of the help they would get from parents.

The council’s report on the plans stated that young people told them the current blanket approach was helpful but did not take individual circumstances into account and left some disadvantaged.

Proposals include moving away from one-year tax exemptions for care leavers moving into council housing to a sliding scale system.

Care leavers would receive a full council tax exemption in the first year, 50 per cent off in the second and 25 per cent off in the third.

The report stated that tapering support off aimed to help young people better manage their budgets and finances by making the withdrawal of support less sudden.

Plans to offer access to a mindfullness app come as care leavers told the council their emotional wellbeing had suffered due to issues including the cost of living crisis.

The app would focus on sleep, meditation and relaxation and its effectiveness would be reviewed going forward.

Broadband costs would also be subsidised with £25-a-month payments for a year if council Children, Young People and Education Executive Member Cllr Bob Webb approves the proposals.

Changes to council tax discounts would result in the loss £11,250-a-year to the authority, assuming the discount applies to 15 young people.

Proposals for the mindfullness app and broadband bills help are estimated to cost a total of £6,600.

Plans to change the way university accommodation costs are supported include a grant of £2,500-a-year on top of the £2,000 bursary young people receive for the duration of their course.

Assessments would also take into account the accommodation costs at the university each young person is planning on attending.

The report stated the changes would bring York into line with the support provided by other authorities in the region.

Other support offered to young people going to university include help with transport costs to and from university accommodation and support outside of term time.

The council also offers for someone to accompany young people when they first travel to university and to help buy cleaning products and other essentials.

It also helps to cover the costs of caps, growns and photographs when they graduate.

The report stated the proposals would provide more flexibility in the way that young people are supported.

It stated: “Consultation with young people has identified the need for a more individualised approach to support.

“The council tax approach responds to young people’s views about a cliff edge through a tapering approach therefore encouraging autonomy in managing budgets.”