Labour: £2bn council tax bombshell

[AtW]

"Millions of council tax payers are in line for increases of up to 5% in their annual bills from April, with those on low and middle incomes hit hardest by a sixth year of increases in England above the rate of inflation.

The tax rise, which Labour said amounted to a “£2bn council tax bombshell” for families still coping with the pandemic, will go ahead despite Boris Johnson’s claim that he would end years of austerity.

Hundreds of councils must decide soon whether to raise the tax by the maximum allowed by government of 4.99%, or to make big cuts in services.

The Tory-controlled Hillingdon council, which covers the prime minister’s constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip, is due to vote this week on proposals for a 4.8% increase in bills, while Bath and North East Somerset council, which covers leader of the house Jacob Rees-Mogg’s constituency, will vote on a 4.99% increase, adding £70 a year to the average bill.

Thinktanks and MPs across party lines have also urged the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, who is soon to present a budget to the Commons, to delay any tax rises until the recovery is assured."


https://www.theguardian.com/money/20...-tax-bombshell

Labour is the tax-cutting party!

[SueEllen]

Council tax and stamp duty need to be abolished and they need to sort out some type of property tax.

And Labour aren't tax cutting - they just realise you can't get blood out of a stone. Or to speak more plainly if people are out of work so don't have the money they can't pay council tax let alone an increase. So Councils taking measures against them to pay the bit they are suppose to pay is going to cost the council more money.