MSE News: Average council tax bill in England...

Former_MSE_Callum

The average band D council tax bill in England will rise by £80 this year, the Government has announced...

Read the full story:
'Average council tax bill in England set to rise by 5.1%'

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Danday

When you take into account the level of annual inflation together with the 3% precept for social care, I believe that it could have been much higher. In reality council tax income is not effectively increasing if your ignore the social care element - it remains the same as last year as adjusted for inflation.
I doubt that many will object to the extra 3% if that money finds its way into the social care budget, much the same that a special tax for the NHS would raise no eyebrows. We have to get on top of both of these which are incidentally linked. The more funding that is made available to both can only increase the services that both supply. I would add that looking at my council tax bill here in Surrey, the precept for the towns within county are showing a 21% increase!

CIS

The amount of income tax (which worked its way through to the councils via gov funding) is not going down yet council tax is going up as council's need to raise monies to offset those cuts. It wouldn't be so bad if they balanced out however where they are both going up (or at least one isn't going down) then you are being hit from both ends. Any extra increases, such as the social care charge, is simply adding more burden on to people to try and pay it.

I can't see why an extra 'tax' for the NHS is required, that is funded by the already existing national insurance and income tax systems. Creating an 'NHS tax' is simply a political stunt to try and get around any stigma from increasing Income Tax and NI.

Oakdene

Well where I live in West Wales we have just been hit with a 12.5% increase on last year, however we are still ( I think) the cheapest in Wales. My band B property is £947.41 a year.

That said we have has very little increases in the past so we have been hit in one big go as opposed to having the increase year on year if that makes sense.

Witchfinder_General

6% rise for us this year. NHS is a black hole that will never be satisfied. Scrap it.

Danday

Witchfinder_General wrote: »

6% rise for us this year. NHS is a black hole that will never be satisfied. Scrap it.

And what would you replace it with and who would be paying for it. Don't tell me - take out an insurance policy. Those on low incomes and/or benefits couldn't afford to pay for such a policy.

The idea of those who have the income must pay to compensate for those who don't have the funds.

That is the bedrock that the NHS and our welfare system relies on.

If the government can find the funds to pay millions to an African version of the Spice Girls, hand out prepaid debit cards in India I fail to understand why they can't find the funds to get our NHS and Social Care system on an even keel.

Witchfinder_General

Danday wrote: »

And what would you replace it with and who would be paying for it. Don't tell me - take out an insurance policy. Those on low incomes and/or benefits couldn't afford to pay for such a policy.

The idea of those who have the income must pay to compensate for those who don't have the funds.

That is the bedrock that the NHS and our welfare system relies on.

Pay your own way.

Don’t you have a permanent lifetime ban Andy - I think you do.

Danday

Witchfinder_General wrote: »

Pay your own way.

Don’t you have a permanent lifetime ban Andy - I think you do.

Do you think you could expand on how you would propose to include those who have only benefits as an income or maybe pensioners that have to rely on the State Pension topped up with Pension Credit?

As for the second paragraph the only time I have ever been banned was from a pub in my teenage years! Andy???

PasturesNew

I'd stick some more bands on top.

While somebody living in a Band A bedsit/1-bed tiny house might be paying one whole month's take home pay to the council tax .... I doubt that the £2million super-mansion in Band H up the road is paying a whole month's household income to council tax, it'll be just a drop in their vast ocean of funds.

Add I and J on top for "really bigguns".

Proportionately, the single/low income households shoulder a lot of the burden.

Oakdene

PasturesNew wrote: »

I'd stick some more bands on top.

While somebody living in a Band A bedsit/1-bed tiny house might be paying one whole month's take home pay to the council tax .... I doubt that the £2million super-mansion in Band H up the road is paying a whole month's household income to council tax, it'll be just a drop in their vast ocean of funds.

Add I and J on top for "really bigguns".

Proportionately, the single/low income households shoulder a lot of the burden.

We have 'I' bands here, the amount for the year (including the payment to police) is £2842.00

CIS

PasturesNew wrote: »

I'd stick some more bands on top.

While somebody living in a Band A bedsit/1-bed tiny house might be paying one whole month's take home pay to the council tax .... I doubt that the £2million super-mansion in Band H up the road is paying a whole month's household income to council tax, it'll be just a drop in their vast ocean of funds.

Add I and J on top for "really bigguns".

Proportionately, the single/low income households shoulder a lot of the burden.

The easiest and quickest way to do it but they are running scared, politically.