Council Tax Benefits And Other Questions

[barry1010]

Those on low incomes qualify for up to 100% reduction in their council tax bills.

My question is who suffers the loss?  Does the council recoup the monies from government or elsewhere?  Or do those who pay full tax make up the difference?

Why are the 10 lowest council tax rates in London? 

[bednobs]

i dont think anyone recoups the loss - local coffers just are less full.

It seems odd to me that london has lwest rates - i thought they were based on property worth in the 90s and even then, london was more expensive that the outer regions

[barry1010]

I think the highest council tax is in Newcastle. 

It is based on property prices but it is up to each council to set the rate for each band - every council will have a lower rate for Band A (£4000 in 1991) than Band H (£320000 +) but it is up to each council to determine whether A will be £100 per year or £1000, or any figure they like.

[barry1010]

If you're right about the councils losing out over the benefits systems then the most deprived areas suffer the most.  

[dave50]

Those who don't pay council tax shouldn't get a vote in local elections. 

[barry1010]

Why not bring it back to property owners only, or the gentry?

Many people who don't pay council tax are pensioners who have spent their lives working at low paid jobs with no chance of saving in to a private pension.  Are you really saying they have no right to vote?   How about disabled people who have worked but no longer are able to - or those that live in residential homes? 

[wolf63]

I am almost sure that the Social Security budget may pay some of it.  The councils administer the rent and council tax but that hasn't always been the case.