MSE News: Average council tax could jump by £95

Former_MSE_Megan_F · 8 February 2018 at 10:15AM

Bill payers could see their council tax rise by up to £95 a year on average, after it was revealed 95% of councils are planning on hiking the rates...

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'Average council tax could rise by up to £95 - check if you can cut your bill'

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CIS · 8 February 2018 at 12:22PM

Bear in mind that the 'average council tax' for this purpose is based on a standard Band D including all of the precepts - a Band A would be set to 6/9th the Band D charge so £95 would be about £63 for a Band A.

The social care 'rise' often touted about isn't a rise of the social care precept as such, it's calculated as a % of the council's side of the council tax charge, that's why it isn't just a 3% rise of the previous years social care precept. Just sticking a flat rate X% on the council tax charge gives only a rough approximation which is many estimates of rises that are published each year don't match the actual rises.

lincroft1710 · 8 February 2018 at 3:22PM

I'm wondering if this should be/also be on The Other Reclaiming: Mortgage Fees, Council Tax etc Board as it concerns CT.

Doc_N · 8 February 2018 at 3:33PM

Given the huge cuts in what used to be given to local authorities by central government, of course they'll have to increase Council Tax.

Just another of the daft and sneaky way this country is run.

1 The government (invariably Conservative) produces tax cuts from their magic money tree (the one that Theresa May claims doesn't exist).

2 Everyone thinks 'How wonderful - low taxes'.

3 Said government then cuts grants to local government and cuts everything else while it's at it.

4 Outcome? The roads fall into such a state of disrepair that it will cost ten times the 'saving' to sort out the structural damage - with resulting expensive repair costs for drivers. The NHS becomes a disaster area, unable to fulfil even basic obligations. Care homes go bust because of inadequate local authority funding - so nowhere to put a growing elderly population. Students are landed with debts so large they can't ever afford to buy a house. The railways are so overpriced because of reduced government subsidies that ordinary people can no longer afford to use them, and bus services outside cities cease to exist because local authorities can no longer afford to subsidise them.

And people wonder why Corbyn's suddenly so popular?

CIS · 8 February 2018 at 4:28PM

Doc_N wrote: »

Given the huge cuts in what used to be given to local authorities by central government, of course they'll have to increase Council Tax.

Just another of the daft and sneaky way this country is run.

1 The government (invariably Conservative) produces tax cuts from their magic money tree (the one that Theresa May claims doesn't exist).

2 Everyone thinks 'How wonderful - low taxes'.

3 Said government then cuts grants to local government and cuts everything else while it's at it.

4 Outcome? The roads fall into such a state of disrepair that it will cost ten times the 'saving' to sort out the structural damage - with resulting expensive repair costs for drivers. The NHS becomes a disaster area, unable to fulfil even basic obligations. Care homes go bust because of inadequate local authority funding - so nowhere to put a growing elderly population. Students are landed with debts so large they can't ever afford to buy a house. The railways are so overpriced because of reduced government subsidies that ordinary people can no longer afford to use them, and bus services outside cities cease to exist because local authorities can no longer afford to subsidise them.

And people wonder why Corbyn's suddenly so popular?

Yep, They've not really got a choice - raise council tax or cut services. Either way, it's the council who get the brunt of the flack.

Ectophile · 8 February 2018 at 8:47PM

CIS wrote: »

Yep, They've not really got a choice - raise council tax or cut services. Either way, it's the council who get the brunt of the flack.

The trouble is, most councils are doing both. The government caps the council tax rises, and cuts the grant by a larger amount than the maximum tax rise.

MSE News: Average council tax could jump by £95

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