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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

council tax

31 replies

swallowthree · 03/10/2011 22:48

I'm not that bothered about saving about £70.00 per year on my council tax bill but would like to see public services - especially for vulnerable children, elderly and disabled people properly funded. Why is keeping the council tax down considered such a great thing ?

OP posts:

slavetofilofax · 03/10/2011 22:54

Because for most people, council tax is a huge bill 10 months out of 12. I'm very glad it's not going up like every other bill. My wages don't go up, so my bills imposed by the government shouldn't either.

You can donate your £70 to some local children's/ elderly people's / disabled people's charities if you like.

Oggy · 03/10/2011 22:55

I personally would also pay an extra £70 a year for public services, but I am lucky enough to be able to afford it. For some people every penny counts - surely that's not an outlandish thing to understand?

Original poster

swallowthree · 03/10/2011 23:01

I understand that for some people it is a lot of money but for most people it really isn't when spread over a year. It will mean not a lot to most of us but would make a massive difference to more lives if local authorities had it to spend on public services.

OP posts:

slavetofilofax · 03/10/2011 23:06

What makes you think that for most people £70 isn't a lot of money just becase it is spread out over a year?

If that £70 council tax was the only cost increase that we would have to face next year, I'd agree with you. But as petrol, food, gas, electricity and water are all likely to go up too, it all adds up to quite a lot when many people are facing pay freezes or cuts.

Ellefabulosa · 03/10/2011 23:14

Do you honestly believe all of your council tax goes on the elderly and needy. A lot of it goes on bureaucracy. It is just another tax and of course £1.5k is a lot of money. It is more than I spend on electricity for our family. It would be good if it didn't go up every year without question as you see salaries haven't been going up so how are we supposed to fund it?!

Original poster

swallowthree · 03/10/2011 23:15

Things that make me think that include average salaries, average weekly spend, amounts spent on holidays etc etc - facts basically. The poorest ten per cent are losing out the most but they include people most affected by cuts to public services. And I don't think public services should be replaced by charity - as suggested by slavetofilofax - although I realise that is what some people would like to see.

OP posts:

Original poster

swallowthree · 03/10/2011 23:18

Of course not all council tax goes on elderly and needy but they are the groups most affected by cuts. And all organisations need some sort of infrastructure to run effectively. As someone who works in the public sector I can see how badly it is all falling apart as so called back office functions are cut.

OP posts:

JustRedbin · 03/10/2011 23:20

Because most of us don't actually like paying taxes!

RantyMcRantpants · 03/10/2011 23:27

I am paying £170 a month in council tax on a 3 bed, end of terrace house I cant afford to pay any extra and I am dreading it going up.

slavetofilofax · 03/10/2011 23:51

Erm, I didn't say that publice services should be replaced by charity

Because I don't think they should!

I suggested that if you won't miss that £70 that you seem to think we should all be able to find, that you might like to donate it to one of the causes you are worried about.

But that's ok, you just read what you like and twist my words to suit yourself.

lesley33 · 04/10/2011 00:57

I know what you mean. i remember famously a woman who in front of the cameras complained about the very poor NHS care her DH who had cancer had received. She also said she wouldn't be willing to pay more tax to improve the NHS!

We actually pay a low level of tax in comparison to most european countries. But many seem to think it is very high in comparison.

I think the fact that so many people have such negative views of elderly people must affect their willingness to pay for care for the elderly poor.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 04/10/2011 06:19

HM Gov are promising councils extra money in return for freezing the amount they charge council tax payers. So councils will be spending more money on local public services but the council tax payers will not be funding the increase. If you want more money spent on public services, this is a small, positive move in that direction. For many residents the council tax is the biggest bill they pay each month and, if they are on a fixed income such as a pension, any increase is a serious blow to their finances.

popadop · 04/10/2011 07:26

My council tax is more per month than my mortgage!

HappyMummyOfOne · 04/10/2011 07:48

Because council tax is a huge bill for some workers whereas its free if on benefits so its actually a nice change for those that work to be considered.

AFuckingKnackeredWoman · 04/10/2011 07:51

We pay £150 a month on a tiny housing association flat. we earn 14k a year- its a huge chunk of our income.

If the taxes keep rising we wont be able to work.

Glad you can afford more but many cant...

itisnearlysummer · 04/10/2011 07:56

HappyMummyOfOne Yes!

ddubsgirl · 04/10/2011 08:15

same here we pay £110 over 12 months and DH earn just over 13k a yr so its alot of money to lose each month,cant afford to pay more.

slavetofilofax · 04/10/2011 08:19

I agree with HappyMummyofone too, and I suspect that the government was well aware of this when they chose to freeze council tax.

It's one of the very few good things they have done imo.

LoveBeingAMummyAgain · 04/10/2011 08:23

Ave wages is not a reflection of whether people can afford to pay an extra £70.

It's a lot of money for a lot of people.

If I didn't know about the waste culture then maybe I wouldnt mind but seeing as I do then yes I don't want to pay it.

Original poster

swallowthree · 04/10/2011 20:12

CogitoErgoSometimes - thats called rate capping - its how they stop councils spending and raising money for public services.

LoveBeingAMummyAgain - what is it that you know about waste culture that makes you not want to pay for pubic services. Do you know about it from first hand experience or have you read about it somewhere ?

This is all about what we prioritise as a society. Paying for wars, aircraft carriers, weekly bin collections doesn't seem to be a problem but keeping public services afloat with a small annual contribution seems to for some reason.

OP posts:

vj32 · 04/10/2011 22:26

I love the fact that the govt has said that weekly bin collections is a right. Under this govt a suitable education isn't a right but weekly bin collections are. Great priorities.

Incidentally why don't they just allow council taxes to be raised but only on the bigger properties?

Or why don't they spend that money increasing the (tax) personal allowance to help everyone. A freeze on council tax only helps some people, or at least helps some more than others depending on their circumstances.

Original poster

swallowthree · 05/10/2011 17:01

Yes - would happily pay more tax too - if it helped public services - but so much going on wars I don't agree with that I do wonder sometimes.

OP posts:

slavetofilofax · 05/10/2011 17:09

But council tax doesn't pay for wars. Or aircraft carriers.

vj, a freeze on council tax doesn't actually help anyone, it just means they stay the same. At least with regards to that particular bill. I agree that increasing personal allowance would be better, but increasing council tax only on bigger properties is very unfair. Bigger properties already pay more in council tax, and their owners will usually pay more in income tax too. If they inherited the house they will have paid inheritance tax.

Original poster

swallowthree · 06/10/2011 20:46

The last messages refer to tax in general not just council tax. If people are lucky enough to inherit large properties, I don't think they should begrudge paying inheritance tax or more in council tax. But I think an income based rather than property based council tax would be fairer - probably cost too much to administer though. Doesn't seem to be a way of linking other taxes with income tax - only have to look at how complicated and time consuming applying for family credit is.

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Kaekae · 07/10/2011 11:08

We pay almost £200 CT and it cripples us, it is one of our biggest outgoings apart from our mortgage. Don't want it to go up feel we pay enough tbh.

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