Council tax is a c**t

[Upholstery]

What kind of a tax doesn't take account of how much money you have? It's all just a bloody con.

Hardly! It was a disaster, charging people living at home separate bills...

What people want is lower bills BUT better Council services.

Council tax would be ok if valuations had taken place regularly, so people in areas that have seen massive house price increases paid more and central govt hadn't slashed council funding.

So you pay less because it funds less.

I did. You clearly don't like my answer and appeared to have totally ignored it. If you don't understand my answer, you can just say so instead of looking for an opportunity to bash me.

It's Czech Republic, Prague.
I don't know about the small cities, admittedly, and haven't lived there permanently for 25 years.
But, after visiting for three months, I was left angry and stunned.
What system they use - I'm not familiar with it. But, will do my best to live there permanently again.

I don't need to. But thanks.

I'm asking you to clarify it. Explain the details.

If you can't then it suggests you really haven't thought it through.

@Differentforgirls you asked for a link. I explained no one link will cover all LAs. So you ought look at your own.
it’s what you asked for

I'm laughing at those in kiwerctax bands being unemployed.

The value of my home in 1993 has no bearing on my employment status in 2026. Its low tax band because its in "The North". (In fact ex Military property, which were rated as pretty much worthless at the time).

It’s the valuations that I can’t get my head around. I’m Band G, it’s a 4 bed house, small garden. There’s a house for sale round the corner for twice what we paid, that’s Band D. There’s a new build opposite that’s twice the size of ours, landscaped garden, sauna/hot tub. It’s probably worth 3 times as much as ours, and it’s Band F.

It’s just completely nonsensical and I really begrudge paying £430 a month when the road is full of potholes and we only half fill our bin every fortnight.

What I most love about paying my council tax is that it has gone up exponentially in the last 3 years because my local authority was caught out being discriminatory against women they employed, carried on doing it after they were found out and then got sued up to their eyeballs (rightfully so) and passed the cost of this discrimination to its local residents!

Its just joyful 😐.

Same with me - trying to sell my late aunt's flat which has been on the market for 18 months. I got the six months' free, then had to pay normal rate, then they slapped the Empty Property Premium on top of that, so as you say, nearly double. However, you can appeal - you have to send them proof that you engaged Estate Agents and have reduced the price several times in order to sell. I did this and have won the appeal - in fact I am due a refund (which is taking forever to come, but that's another matter!).

Where are these tax free countries? Are they only for rich people? What about unemployment benefits, the prison system, the courts, the police? How does that work?

Without sounding like a smart arse, surely you know the countries globally with little to no tax? Again, that isn't meant to sound disrespectful. There are lots of them. The Cayman Islands being one of them.

In addition, EU countries that do implement taxation are light years ahead of the UK in every respect. They also have excellent benefits systems, unlike the UK.

Yes we should just become like the Cayman Islands.

Fuck me.

Please stop saying I haven't thought it through. It very much comes across to me that you don't understand or care for what I've said to you thus far.

I explained twice, the second try was a little more detailed. If you still don't understand, it's not my problem. I can and will keep trying to elaborate, but it's not worth it to me if you're not willing to actually take in what you're being told and demean people trying to help you, is it?

You're set in your ways, I get it. You don't want to be enlightened, you want an excuse to insult people.

Perhaps do your own research? You're capable of using the internet, so jump on Google and make an effort to understand how the system works (or doesn't work as the case may be).

So you're unable to explain. Thought so. Lol

It doesn’t always work like that. The size of the house is only one factor and CT valuations differ substantially between councils and also within local areas.

They have employment insurance for out of work benefits, which is moot anyway as there is 100% employment rate in these countries.

I do look at English people with pity (no offence). They genuinely believe that it is normal to pay for everything and get a mere £84 per week in the event of unemployment, or a paltry £200 a year winter fuel allowance. In Ireland, pensioners get €1000 per year regardless of means as winter fuel allowance.

Most EU countries pay higher tax overall. They also have the benefit of being in the EU which we threw away.

The Cayman Islands and the UK are so different that any comparison is meaningless

The Caymen islands are mainly inhabited by the very rich. You can’t suddenly stop taxation in a country like the U.K. and expect it to work the same way.

Also, there is some form of tax - quote from Wikipedia. The government's primary source of income is indirect taxation: there is no income tax, capital gains tax, or corporation tax.[28] A tariff of 5% to 22% (automobiles 29.5% to 100%) is levied against goods imported into the islands. Few goods are exempt; notable exemptions include books, cameras, and perfume.[85]

Well, it does seem weird to me that the people who've spent years crying out for the rich to be taxed harder are now noticing how much of a burden it is to be paying more tax themselves. They're starting to get a taste of what it's like to be considered rich; "Don't tax me more! Tax that lot more!"

It's the same with rising prices; you're paying more but you're not seeing the ROI, if you like. Are you familiar with the YouTube channel Brit Rants? Plenty of taxpayers on there struggling with their council tax now.

So you stay in your house and have never or never will use and of the following services.

• Social Care: A large portion of Council Tax is dedicated to adult and children's social care services, including safeguarding vulnerable people and support for older residents.
• Emergency Services: Your contribution helps fund local police and fire and rescue services.
• Waste Management: This covers household refuse collection, recycling services, and the operation of waste disposal facilities.
• Roads and Transport: Funding goes towards the maintenance of roads, pavements, bridges, street lighting, and public transport initiatives.
• Education and Libraries: It helps pay for schools (though the main funding comes from government grants), libraries, and other educational support services.
• Environmental and Public Health: Services such as street cleaning, park maintenance, pest control, food safety inspections, and tackling environmental crime like fly-tipping are covered.
• Housing and Homelessness: Councils use funds for housing advice, managing council homes, and supporting homeless individuals and families.
• Leisure and Culture: This includes maintaining parks, open spaces, museums, galleries, sports centres, and swimming pools.
• Administration: The tax also covers administrative costs for services like local elections, the registration of births, marriages, and deaths, and the administration of Housing Benefits and Council Tax support schemes.

I doubt very much that you have never used a road or a pavement at night with lights, been to a park. Do you vote, are you married, ever registered a birth? Did you go to school?

Imagine if you had to pay for all the services you use on a daily basis, you would not leave the house.

I think taxes are a good thing.

however, the way they deal with council tax is awful. The fact you can have one failed DD and they chase you for the entire amount. The fact you can then owe the entire amount for a year, despite it being the start of the year so technically no (or little) debt accrued.
no other debt is handled that way.

I don't love it but I've no complaints. If you live in an expensive/large property you pay more. But its bit random in some cases.

.....and don't forget these shitty Factor's Fees on top of that.