Increase Council Tax For Southerners?

[Deskdiary]

Contrary to what appears to be the belief of some MPs, not everybody in the South, in fact the vast majority of people in the South, are not rich, and yet some MPs want to punish Southerners for having the temerity to live in the South by increasing Council Tax Bills.

Does a mechanic in Maidstone earn more than a mechanic in Macclesfield? I have no idea, but I doubt it. Does it cost more to empty a bin in Bromley than it does in Bolton? Again, I have no idea but I doubt it.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7377569/MPs-call-huge-council-tax-hikes-southern-England-reflect-property-values.html

Yes, some in the South may have benefited by their house increasing in value, but if the Maidstone mechanic has no intention of moving, the value of his house is largely irrelevant.

What about the pensioners living on state pensions who bought their houses for peanuts in the 50s and 60s?

Thoughts?

[ABerrant]

>>> Yes, the Community Charge (a.k.a 'poll tax') was basically a much fairer system and, yes, it was the lack of safeguards for those on low incomes which let it down.

It was the complexity of the myriad safeguards for those on low incomes which let it down.

Community Charge Benefits existed for non-taxpayers, the unemployed, students and others, offering a maximum rebate of 80%.

There were rebates available for disabled, severely disabled, elderly, patients, spouses (even in polygamous marriage), dependent children (age related), disabled children, lone parents, etc. etc.

[cashier]

Houses in the 50s and 60s weren't peanuts for the people who were buying. Wages were much less than today and the buyers often did without a lot of so called luxuries.

[woofgang]

cashier, I don't understand the relevance of your remark?

[DTCwordfan]

or bring in a local sales tax..... as to council tax, am paying more here for a D band than a 20 million flat in the centre of London....that's certainly not equitable.

[New Judge]

//cashier, I don't understand the relevance of your remark?//

I suppose the relevance is this from the OP:

//What about the pensioners living on state pensions who bought their houses for peanuts in the 50s and 60s?//

[ToraToraTora]

they should return to the community charge in my opinion, much fairer system.

[jourdain2]

Just throwing-in that perhaps people should be charged for the costs of the services they actually receive, plus some sort of small 'social charge' for the poorest in their community. E.g. we do not have mains sewerage available - the whole village is on septic tanks - so we don't pay sewerage charges (the tanks cost us each quite enough). That seems very fair and could be applied all around.

As we only have 2 buses per week, should we pay the full price for providing busses in the towns? Also one visit from a mobile library per month(they tried to stop that) and no post office or shop or anything except a pub, school and church. No gas supply, so we are reliant on expensive oil or electricity. No crime to speak of, which is as well because we never see a policeman except the chap who lives next-door.

It is a valid point about paying for what you receive. Personally I don't mind paying for the police and fire services, because they'll come in an emergency, but I do object for paying for the non-busses etc.. Just a point. It's not an equitable system for anyone really and it all needs re-thinking.

[Deskdiary]

Cashier "Houses in the 50s and 60s weren't peanuts for the people who were buying. Wages were much less than today and the buyers often did without a lot of so called luxuries."

Somebody who bought their house in the 50s and 60s would have paid peanuts for it given the house price inflation up to now, but my point was they may be living on just a state pension, so they could be sitting on £1m worth of equity but the value of their house is not relevant to their ability to pay. Now those of a The Guardian disposition will nasally whine that they should sell, but why should they?

[woofgang]

Are busses paid for out of council tax? apart from pensioner bus passes, I don't think they are round here.

[woofgang]

thank you all, cashier, I understand now. You are quite right. We bought our first house in the late 70's. it cost 16,500 and it took up all our savings for the deposit ans all the disposable income we had to afford the mortgage. We moved twice and each time it was for my husband's job, ie no move; no job. yes I am house equity rich but if I downsized to release the equity then I would have to lose a huge chunk to pay for the downsize, even more if I moved to a cheaper part of the country...and that assumes that I could get a decent price for my house in the current climate.

[woofgang]

oh and the whole value of my house, let alone any equity I could release, is nowhere near approaching a million and I live in a nice house in a nice area.

[New Judge]

Yes there is a growing movement which seems to suggest that older people with "big houses that they don't need" should sell up to ease the "housing crisis" (which has largely been created by allowing the population to grow excessively). You can throw into this argument the idea that people should move if they cannot pay the iniquitous council tax bill they receive for the temerity of wanting to remain in the house they own and in which they may have lived happily for many years. All that does in my book is to further highlight how ludicrous a tax that is levied on relative property values really is.

[woofgang]

if "someone" would cough up for my removal expenses, legal and estate agent charges, stamp duty and so on AND find me something suitable in the same area, I would happily consider moving.