A new council tax reduction scheme is being recommended by North Yorkshire County Council's executive.
The new scheme will standardise the way reductions are implemented for the lowest income households in the county when the new unitary council comes in to being in April.
Currently different discounts are applied in different districts and boroughs.
Councillor Gareth Dadd says the changes will mean more people will qualify for a discount, but some people may be entitled to less support.
The council says around 16,000 claimants would be better off under the new arrangements but around 2,500 would get less support.
Director of Strategic Resources - Gary Fielding - says the council has a number of programmes to support low-income households.
A report presented to the County Council's Executive said:
"Inevitably, as with any change in scheme, there will be some winners and losers although the proposed scheme has been designed to protect the most vulnerable. It is proposed that the new scheme will contain additional provisions to protect individuals who experience exceptional hardship.
Where any applicant is likely to experience exceptional hardship, they will be encouraged to apply for an exceptional hardship payment. The Council will consider all applications for exceptional hardship on an individual basis, taking into account available income and essential outgoings.
Where appropriate, further support will be given to the applicant."
It is proposed that a single unified income grid model be implemented as the scheme for the new North Yorkshire Council for the year commencing 1 April 2023. The discounts would be applied as follows.
The report said:
"The scheme will apply to the whole of the North Yorkshire Council area and will increase the overall level of support for the lowest income families, whilst reducing the administrative burden placed on the Council by the introduction of Universal Credit."
The proposal will now go to full council for approval.
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