Cut benefits before increasing council tax

[Bonde]

https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/reeves-council-tax-hike-5HjdMrJ_2/

As an increase in income tax is now out the window, the government will have to look at other ways to fill the gap by increasing a dozen smaller taxes. One option, I think they will opt for, is to apply a surcharge for homes in bands F,G&H. It would be politically expedient to do so because many people will assume those in such homes are wealthy.

We purchased our band f property earlier this year at £550k. We live in London and didn’t want to uproot our family, and move jobs, so decided to buy our 2.5 bed house.
After mortgage and bills, we have £100 to £200 left over, but some months have nothing. An increase would be so difficult to manage.

Why can’t the government have the courage to cut benefits. You can buy a BMW or Mercedes on the Mobility Scheme! Why?

Reddit? Good grief, instead of spitting out untruths why don't you actually do some research.

I mea honestly I would rather they just put income tax up.

Put it up 2p, bring main rate NI down 1p. Gets 2p extra on all pensions, landlords and savings, 1p extra for "working families" under 50k and 2p extra above 50k. I reckon based on back of the envelope calculations that that that would raise about £10Bn.

Probably keep chucking capital gains tax up while I was at it, as assets making money shouldn't really be taxed less than humans making money.

I suppose what op is saying is the council tax increase will put them, and likely many others in serious difficulty. People recieving benefits aren't the only sector of people who are under financial strain

Just because someone has a band F,G and H council tax home, doesn't mean they are rolling in it.

I wouldn’t take posts on mumsnet as fact either. I would hope most adults would be able to use appropriate means to find out the facts before trying to demonise people needing the use the scheme based on something they read on reddit(or mumsnet).

But that poster would still be entitled to the benefit that was used to lease a motability car - that she used it to lease the car cost the taxpayer no more than if she'd just had it oaid into her bank account.

It's no different to here, a lot isn't fact here

Yabu.
London council tax is well below the national average. It’s about time things were evened up. Band F in Westminster is only £1500/yr, whereas Band F in my deprived rural area is £3500/yr.

Scotland already have to pay extra Ctax on bands E-H and have done for several years now. I wouldn't be surprised if that becomes the norm in England as well.

Not all London is low just parts, probably the more wealthy areas

That's the thing though. A lot of houses in Band F and even higher aren't expensive mansions. But no-one could foresee their council tax getting randomly doubled - it's a huge hike.

I'm in Band F and my house is worth less than a 1 bed flat in London.

Oh well if a poster on Reddit said so it must be true!
There's nowhere for benefits to be cut further. Universal credit is £290 a month per adult for their living costs and about £400 for a child. Rent can be claimed towards as well but unless someone is on a very old council tenancy their benefits will not cover their rent so they have to top it up from that meagre living cost sum.
In relation to disability benefits - it's extremely difficult to scam DLA/PIP. More people don't claim them when they are entitled than claim fraudulently. The vehicles are paid for out of the disability benefit. So what a person receives is docked by the monthly hire cost of the car. Yes they may be expensive cars but often they need to be adapted because - you know - disability?

Where you live enough houses sell for you to have a good idea what they are worth. Where we live we have no idea. There aren’t enough houses and there are years where nothing sells. Our house is really old and pretty, but we have no central heating. When we bought the house it had been in the market for 4 years and come down in asking price by 30%. We knocked another 10% off because it had a crack in the stone wall that was letting damp in and needed fixing. I can well see an estate agent valuing our house at a price no one would buy it at, especially holidaymakers, as they might have to pay quadruple council tax. I like my home and I don’t plan to move, but I think it’s in sellable in the current market.

That's the thing though. A lot of houses in Band F and even higher aren't expensive mansions. But no-one could foresee their council tax getting randomly doubled - it's a huge hike.

I'm in Band F and my house is worth less than a 1 bed flat in London.

Goady McGoadface.

Hit the nail on the head.

I don't choose to be autistic and burn out easily. My mum didn't choose to HAVE to be medically retired from work, and my son didn't choose to be autistic either.

I appreciate that some autistic people are able to work, but unfortunately, I am not one of them. I couldn't even deal with uni 2 days a week, and that was recent. I had to drop out after 6 months, and I only lasted that long because I felt like I'd be letting people down if I continued.

I'd LOVE to work. But I just can't.

OP, please don't take Reddit posts as fact. I use Reddit, and I can smell most bullshit posts a mile off. I bet the one you read was complete bullshit

I'm pretty sure the Motability scheme is propping up the new car market at the moment, as well as that of the EV market. The whole thing wreaks of state-level fraud.

"I have narcolepsy and fall asleep on the bus, give me a free car." - True story.
www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/07/12/drivers-sleeping-disorders-subsidised-cars-scheme/

How do I know what you post is true

Did you this last month OP?
Or just when the plans look look like affecting you? Would you be OK if the ceiling was set at the band above you?

The same as us. I think our house is only bang F because all the listed buildings in our area were given band F back in the 70s.

That poster is a fool then as she is losing the equivalent of those car payments from her PIP which could be used for something that directly benefits her. I'd be concerned about financial abuse actually if she's sacrificing her disability benefits to lease a car for her husband's benefit! But you do realise she's not getting any more by using the motability scheme than she would be if she wasn't?

Do you honestly think people with disabilities on non-means tested benefits are tearing around jn free Mercedes?

If you want to push the personal responsibility agenda, then you shouldn't have bought a house where a £100 a month increase in bills would tip you over the edge.

I think you could do away with anxiety for PIP and that would cut loads. I'd be okay with this. I've had severe anxiety myself. It's not something that can opt you out of work. It's a normal part of life that we all have to deal with.

I know people who receive PIP often work, but if you can top up your wages with PIP, it's about £400/month, it means people can claim anxiety and get that top up so they then don't work those extra hours and pay that extra tax.

And Londoners get good public services.

Well it is usually an essential to have a roof over one's head. This Woman's husband going to work is part of that. And the recipient of Motability does not have to be able to drive all the time, or even at all. Read up on it perhaps...

You can google - it's easy
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/help-for-disabled-travellers1/motability-scheme/getting-a-motability-car/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23139573802&gbraid=0AAAAA-Td8Vvll67MoqOx87yoLNW6PaZpH&gclid=Cj0KCQiA5uDIBhDAARIsAOxj0CHQR2mzDnaqWNWjptzrP2Rhwd89h1uBPHg8dgKv5HNY5yFEJTEc9WUaAhECEALw_wcB

If you receive a benefit because you have a disability or illness that makes it hard for you to get around, you can use it to pay for a vehicle from a charity called Motability.

You’ll only be paying for the lease of the vehicle - it won’t belong to you. If you stop receiving your benefit, you’ll have to return it.

Your benefit will go directly to the Motability Scheme each month to pay for your lease. How much of your benefit will go towards your vehicle will depend on which one you choose.

You’ll probably need to make a payment upfront if you choose a more expensive vehicle.