To be cranky about the £150 council tax rebate

[Notcontent]

I have been thinking a lot about this. I understand that the government was looking for a way to implement help with energy costs in the easiest way possible and that doing it through council tax bands seemed sensible as for the most part it does target the right people. But only for the most part. For example, in London there are lots of people who live in high value properties that are actually far from luxurious and who will miss out. For example, my elderly neighbour will miss out even though he deserves the help. He doesn’t have a lot of money - bought his house decades ago when the area was very cheap and lives very frugally. I know councils will get some extra money to distribute but that will be for only a small number of people.

These kinds of injustices really get to me, as I think when it comes to public money everyone should get equal treatment.

@LethargicActress

^It’s a bit hypocritical of you to flippantly say that people have the option of moving house right after saying you couldn’t possibly be expected to switch to UC because you’d end up with a loan to pay back out of your benefits. Do you really think that selling a house, buying a new one and going through all the stress of moving, especially alone and elderly, is an easier process than moving onto universal credit?

Again, it’s people who already get help from the state begrudging a much smaller amount of help to others who also need it.^

Actually, I wasn't being flippant about it, I actually own my own 3-bed house which is only worth about £110k and I'm trying to sell and downsize. As I said before, I'm disabled, I also actually live alone, so trying to move house is a big thing for me but I'm trying to do this because I can't afford to live on my pittance of an income. I have my mortgage to pay (£437/month), if I was in rented accommodation the DWP would be paying my rent but I get nothing towards the mortgage (I can't expect the state to buy my house) so trying to do this and paying all other living expenses on less than £700/month (which includes PIP payments) is almost impossible.

The thing about the council tax is that if the DWP were giving me the cash to pay my CT, I would benefit by about £3/week because of the rebate (this is what UC claimants will receive) but they pay mine direct so I won't benefit from it and its not just me but all other legacy benefit claimants. When you're not on the breadline you can't understand how much £3/wk means to someone who is. With all the increases in electricity charges, even back in September I was having to choose between eating and putting the lights on, never mind heating, I've not been able to afford to put my heating on for 2 winters now.

@Harmonypuss

From what you’ve explained, I honestly can’t see why you’d be begrudging this from someone in a not too dissimilar situation. Your problem seems to be that those on legacy benefits aren’t getting the same as those on UC.

I’d assume a pensioner has finished paying off their mortgage and isn’t trying to buy a house at the same time as wanting help to pay for their council tax.

You might need to downsize because you haven’t finished paying for your house yet, but I can’t see why someone who finished paying for their house a long time ago should not be forced into the stress and upheaval of downsizing for the sake of £150

@LethargicActress

From what you’ve explained, I honestly can’t see why you’d be begrudging this from someone in a not too dissimilar situation. Your problem seems to be that those on legacy benefits aren’t getting the same as those on UC.

I don't begrudge anyone of it, I just think that if pensioners and those on UC are claiming to be 'the poorest in society' then there are others who should also be included in that group when the Govt are handing out assistance.

I'm sorry the problem of pricing out has spread to where you are @ancientgran

Although I'm not sure why you think the pricer outers are Londoners. A lot of the 'rich Londoners' who moved to the south west (eg. Scottish Gordon Ramsay) are not actual Londoners. Not by your definition of 'locals' - which, forgive me if I'm wrong, you mean born and bred.

The pricing out of 'locals' has indeed started to spread to other parts of the UK. But it is nothing new in London, where for years and years, 'locals' have been priced out by people coming from all over... including the south west - and to add insult to injury, having priced out London locals, when they move back to their home area of elsewhere, the Local locals call them Londoners.

Either someone is a local through born and bred (in which case, most of those 'rich Londoners' are not Londoners) or it's because of wherever they currently live (in which case, they are not Londoners if they're living n the south west).

Social cleansing on mass is not ok wherever it happens. But it is undeniably London that has and continues to suffer from this the most.

Two thirds of all of England's homeless families are in London.

There are more homeless people in London than the entire population of many UK towns.

You do realise OP, that one reason people down size when they retire is to realise the profit on their home to help fund their retirement, moving to more affordable and smaller properties?? It is a choice that huge numbers of elderly make every year. I do have sympathy for your neighbour but if they have this asset and not use it, then there are others in greater need who do not have this asset.

@Tealightsandd

I'm sorry the problem of pricing out has spread to where you are *@ancientgran*

Although I'm not sure why you think the pricer outers are Londoners. A lot of the 'rich Londoners' who moved to the south west (eg. Scottish Gordon Ramsay) are not actual Londoners. Not by your definition of 'locals' - which, forgive me if I'm wrong, you mean born and bred.

The pricing out of 'locals' has indeed started to spread to other parts of the UK. But it is nothing new in London, where for years and years, 'locals' have been priced out by people coming from all over... including the south west - and to add insult to injury, having priced out London locals, when they move back to their home area of elsewhere, the Local locals call them Londoners.

Either someone is a local through born and bred (in which case, most of those 'rich Londoners' are not Londoners) or it's because of wherever they currently live (in which case, they are not Londoners if they're living n the south west).

I'm not a local, I've only lived here for nearly 30 years. Obviously I don't know everyone who has moved here from London but I know lots have moved from London. I can't vouch for how long they lived in London but either way people come here via London having sold a property and can outbid locals. It's just a fact.

Personally I find the whole "local" thing a bit ridiculous but each to their own.

The pricing out of 'locals' has indeed started to spread to other parts of the UK. It hasn't just started here, it has been going on for decades and I can say that as someone who moved here 30 years ago. If I look round the cul de sac where I live I think there is one family where the parents are "born and bred" down here although several of us have adult children who presumably can now claim local status but ironically very few of them live here.

The main problem here is lack of opportunities for young people so they have to move away. I see a fair number of families moving down where one of the parents has kept their well paid job in London or elsewhere and work part time at home and 2 or maybe 3 days a week back in the big cities. It doesn't seem great to me but it seems to work for them.

Maybe export some of the well paid jobs down here and there would be less pressure on London property and less pressure on young people to move away to the big city(ies)

Maybe export some of the well paid jobs down here and there would be less pressure on London property and less pressure on young people to move away to the big city(ies)

London has one the highest rates of youth unemployment.

@Tealightsandd

Maybe export some of the well paid jobs down here and there would be less pressure on London property and less pressure on young people to move away to the big city(ies)

London has one the highest rates of youth unemployment.

And some of the highest paid jobs. I don't suppose it is the unemployed youths who are coming down here to buy property.

How is the employment rate in London for well qualified young graduates? Are those jobs graduate jobs or not? Do those jobs have good prospects?

Bit different to down here. Not sure why you are so insistent on London being worse than anywhere else. Lots of places have problems, it isn't just London.

Plenty of those highest paid jobs go to people from the south west (and elsewhere in the UK) - who move to London, pricing out locals. Who then move out of London...and get described as 'rich Londoners' by the Local locals.

As well as those higher paid jobs (that still don't make up for the much higher house prices, there are also huge numbers of minimum wage jobs.

How is the employment rate in London for well qualified young graduates? Are those jobs graduate jobs or not? Do those jobs have good prospects?

I assume so - since large numbers of them move to London to take those jobs... pricing out Londoners. How does that help Londoners, please?

Not sure why you are so insistent on London being worse than anywhere else.

I acknowledged lots of places have problems. But it's a fact that the situation is worst in London. Like I said, two thirds, eg. a majority, of all England's homeless families are in London.

London is the epicentre of the public health housing and homelessness emergency.

I'm not sure why you seem so determined to deny that fact.

Like I said, it's not ok when it happens anywhere. But the problem is most acute in London.

And also, if everywhere else is allowed to have Local locals, so is London. Which means that the majority of 'rich Londoners' are not actually Londoners.

@Tealightsandd

Plenty of those highest paid jobs go to people from the south west (and elsewhere in the UK) - who move to London, pricing out locals. Who then move out of London...and get described as 'rich Londoners' by the Local locals.

As well as those higher paid jobs (that still don't make up for the much higher house prices, there are also huge numbers of minimum wage jobs.

How is the employment rate in London for well qualified young graduates? Are those jobs graduate jobs or not? Do those jobs have good prospects?

I assume so - since large numbers of them move to London to take those jobs... pricing out Londoners. How does that help Londoners, please?

Not sure why you are so insistent on London being worse than anywhere else.

I acknowledged lots of places have problems. But it's a fact that the situation is worst in London. Like I said, two thirds, eg. a majority, of all England's homeless families are in London.

London is the epicentre of the public health housing and homelessness emergency.

I'm not sure why you seem so determined to deny that fact.

Like I said, it's not ok when it happens anywhere. But the problem is most acute in London.

And also, if everywhere else is allowed to have Local locals, so is London. Which means that the majority of 'rich Londoners' are not actually Londoners.

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Well said toastiessnowy