The OS Doorstep - a helpful and supportive thread in these tough times

[Deleted User]

SQ I'd go and buy what you would normally have in the fridge/fresh produce and say you can't fit it in the car and don't want it to go to waste, that way they'd not feel like it was a handout but more like they were helping you out by taking it off your hands, Cheers Lyn xxx.

the_cake

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

SQ I'd go and buy what you would normally have in the fridge/fresh produce and say you can't fit it in the car and don't want it to go to waste, that way they'd not feel like it was a handout but more like they were helping you out by taking it off your hands, Cheers Lyn xxx.

Lyn. you are such a wise and kind woman, what good advice!
And SQ, how kind and thoughtful you are, too! xx

tattycath

Hi all.
Only had literally <2hours sleep today (was working last night). So will probably be on autopilot later. hugs to all in need.

dronid

PRINCESSX87 wrote: »

Morning all,

I wondering what people's take is on this?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2367617/You-pay-youre-dead-What-tax-rebel-74-told-council-finally-gives-attempting-collect-arrears-lifetime.html

The reason i ask is that we're all worse off atm. But i really don't know how i feel about this. On the one hand, i agree fully with her that times are tough and their should be more help for people that needs it, But further down the page it states she has £16k of savings therefore - should she pay??

Interested on everyone's views?

Hi there. It's been a while since I was on here but had to respond to this so here we go.

There are a couple of issues here

She is protesting against Council Tax as a pensioner which is a peculiar tax as is is supposed to pay for local services. Part of the issue is that does discriminate those living alone to those in multiple occupation properties. It also discriminates against those who are living in areas that are more expensive than others. Hence a family in a one bed flat in London would pay the same or more than one living in a 3 bedroom house in a more property price suppressed area. The bandings are also highly out of date and have little bearing on the current property value which would only exacerbate the issue.

Council tax pays for Local services such as planning, transport, highways, police, fire, libraries, leisure and recreation, rubbish collection and disposal, environmental health and trading standards. These are all services we need. However, the rateable value of a property is not the most effective way of allocating the cost. It implies that all these things cost more in areas like London and the South over other areas. As with any other benefit basis reductions would be means tested. If you live alone you pay 25% less. This again seems inneffective as each individual needs access to pretty much the same facilities, not the property they live in.

In many ways the most effective way to simplify this process would be to add a percentage (or proportion of a percentage) onto income tax. That way people would pay for a representative proportion of their income to support their local services. This might seem unfair for those earning large amounts but it is a far more representative method of providing the services that a local authority needs. It also means that there would be default money coming from those on benefis/low incomes who would be exempt and students who wouldn’t have to pay. It would also allow for multiple individuals in a property and the local authority would receive a payment for each one rather than a one off payment. Fundamentaly it would be a much simpler system to collect as it would be attached to earnings and it might persuade Government to clamp down on individual tax avoidance where some areas would receive much lower income than they were used to dependent on declared income. It would also mean that pensioners would also be exempt unless they were receiving more than the threshold for tax. I would be much happier to pay that proportion if everyone did. Far happier than paying for Council Tax.

We have little financial information about her – pension, other benefits etc just that she has £16000 for the maintenance of her home for the next few years. To be honest it should’ve probably gone into a trust fund for home maintenance that couldn’t be touched which would’ve resolved the issue. In this case, and under the current council tax rules, if she’s happy to sign away the council tax for the property in her will I see no reason why this wouldn’t be a reasonable solution.

Sunshine4

Afternoon Ladies, Beautiful day here again.

Had an appointment at the hospital yesterday, my blood tests that I had done last week has come back . It seems my blood is no good my ESR is very high. I have lost alot of weight recently, cant eat large meals and then cant keep the food down. I had a cough for a few weeks and though that was what was making me sick. Its seems my immune system is not working .

In stead of helping to get rid of colds, flu , virus,bacteria its also attacking the good things as well. So my body is attacking its self and my red blood cells are all sticky.

I have an appointment with a dr at the hospital on Friday morning and she is going to explain it carefully to me, I have been told I will need to go on powerful steroids to help my body cope.

But I have decided not to dwell on it and just get on with life there are still alot of people worst off than me.

We sat on in the garden for lunch under the tree and it was heaven.

FairyPrincessk

SQ--I agree with Lyn's idea--although I'd probably opt for a few extra long shelf-life things like rice/pasta/tins etc. I'd also consider a few treats for the kids which could be hidden at the bottom. She can use them right away if she wants, or she can put them away for a treat later on. Barring that, I might also consider a supermarket gift card. There are a couple of ways to give it in a gentle way--I'm not familiar with all of the different SM point schemes, but if you told her you had masses of points about to expire and were wondering if she wanted a gift card out of what you had going spare. Alternatively, slip it into a card, let her know you admire how well she is coping and just wanted to give the family a little treat. Finally, what about offering to go in jointly for some bulk buys or AF orders? She may not have enough cash up front to take advantage of the best deals--you could just point out that it would help you make your budget go further, but only if you think it won't pressure her to put in when she otherwise wouldn't.

Princess--I read the article this morning and I've been thinking about it. I was a little reluctant to respond because it looks like it has a lot of hot button issues and I don't like to get into political arguments online. I hope no one will be offended by what I think. I must confess the DM isn't one of my favourite news sources as I think they often leave off important information/dramatise things (not saying other news sources do not do this:rotfl:).

What I will say, is that council tax is charged that way for a reason that I have some sympathy with. It is designed so that people who cannot afford housing costs on their own and share a dwelling pay a lower rate than those living alone. Now, that may or may not be fair--I think there are lots of things to consider in assessing that. (For example when I lived alone as a working person, I opted to do that, if I'd lived in a shared house I would have paid less tax--living alone was a luxury and a choice for me, whereas for her it is not as much of a choice and may not be a luxury, but rather a legacy of her former circumstances).

But, there is also a question of community resources, which Council Tax is designed to fund. A single person living in a three bedroom house will use more resources at a faster rate than a single person sharing a dwelling. This may not be a very big difference (I suspect the real difference is fairly small) in terms of how many community resources they use, but combined with the notion of a progressive tax in which those who have more pay more--I think that is probably the logic behind the situation. (i.e. the council assumes that if you can afford to live in a certain band as a single occupant then you are better off than someone in a different band who shares occupancy). This probably OFTEN isn't the case--but I don't think the policy is aimed at punishing anyone as much as it is aimed at trying to create a progressive rate of tax. Indeed, I wonder what would happen in the situation of a single pensioner who had to leave their family home because they couldn't afford the associated taxes/running costs and had to move into shared accommodation?

I don't know what kind of income she has, and I don't know what form her savings take. I don't know if she has the option of moving, and I don't know if I think it would be appropriate to expect her to move from her family home--they're all difficult questions and I think we need more information about an individual before trying to create a one-size-fits-all answer. To be honest, I'm also not quite clear on her rationale for not paying--is it that she genuinely doesn't think she can afford it while maintaining her quality of life (as she mentions buying food), or is it that she objects to the tax as unfair (she also mentions penalizing single people)? What I do know is that there are a lot of gaps in that story and I'm reluctant to pass judgement on anyone--positively or negatively without more information. However, I am happy that an amicable solution has been reached.

nuttyp

Happy hot after noon weather everyone!!!

Had a busy morning at work. DD had her eyes tested and she needs glasses for reading. So we both went and chose our glasses. It was £30 for hers, but mine were a whopping £140. I have complex lenses and as a treat I had reacta light lenses. We ended up in specsavors, purley as they were the cheapest.
I expect there are internet sites that do them, but for me they are never available in my prism strength.

I left all the curtains closed today and the house is a little cooler.

tomorrow I aim to be in lidL at 8am for when they open, as my mum needs to go shopping. Its not like we need much, but then she doesn't have to carry the bags home.

Well going for a cooling shower, so hot and stuffy here.

PRINCESSX87

I’m still very undecided on the DM link I placed.

I was planning a easy day today just pottering, I was filling up the dogs water bowls when I heard a mighty bang. Went up stairs to find our chest of drawers have collapsed. :mad::mad:

Lucky of us this one did, As we have a small fish tank on the other which now will be being moved just incase. Fed up really because we’ve been saving money to buy a new set & we was convinced we’d have plenty of time yet before replacing. Instead one has given up the ghost.
Been having a look for specials / discounts but seems there is nothing on offer that would fit (Small house - tiny bedroom) So looks like we’re off to !kea this weekend.

I haven’t a clue what to do for diner this evening. Salad sandwiches I think - as I have a stomping headache which isn’t getting any easier with painkillers.

Just had a funny call from my youngest brother who’s with my middle brother (Middle brother is the one becoming a dad very shortly)

He’s called up because they wanted to know if a pregnant women can get into a paddling pool (YB is only 16) Then he said, I’m thinking of buying them a bubble spa machine for the pool that way if sil goes into labour the rubber would massage her until the midwife comes.:eek::rotfl::eek:

It made me cry with laugher because I assumed he was slightly more educated that he could answer his own questions & the fact that they have thought of a spa machine for an outdoor pool. I can just picture the neighbours faces.
:rotfl::rotfl:

Emm-in-a-pickle

Just popping in to say - I wasn`t up early enough to harvest some lavender, but in the meantime I`d spotted a recipe for mint simple syrup, so I`ve made some of that instead, and added lime juice & soda water....VERY refreshing. Many thanks for the original idea.

[Deleted User]

PX87 that is the sweetest thing I have heard in ages, how many 16 year olds would have even considered how a woman in labour would feel, let alone thought through that a spa bubbler might make it less uncomfortable? As for the paddling pool, I expect in his experience it would be similar to a water bath, he's such a poppet isn't he? You are really a lovely bunch the way you care about each other, Cheers Lyn xxx.