Jealous of those who live in A-D?

[MrsMurphyIWish]

I’ve started seeing comments about budget money funnelled into “welfare areas”. DH and I are nearly 50. We were raised in an under privileged area - he, working class and me foster care. We never moved and as teachers of nearly 30 years I think we may not be net contributors but we work bloody hard.

Here’s to all at the council area workers where we bloody work our arses off - I’ll take any benefit that comes our way!

We're about the only Band E house in a street of Cs and Ds. We don't need the money but it is rather a random way to do it.

But how do you suggest it is done then as targeted payments are too expensive to administer?

I think if you just target the 'needy' you can overlook people too easily. This is a better approach.

2 bed flats on my new build estate are in Band C. 3 bed terraced is a Band E, and yet the 3 bed end of terrace (on same terrace) is D! Yet the 4 bed detached (non new-build) a couple streets away is only a Band D.

I live in a Band E house, and so won't get the £100, which would have helped us out massively. Ah well.
It's not so much the not-receiving it that is annoying me, rather than how it's being out based CT bands that appear completely random at best.

Can’t say I’m jealous of the £8.33 pm I won’t be getting.

I saw an article which said that senior nurse pay will hit £100,000 next year

You are only a net contributor if you annually earn above around 60k pounds annually. If you dont you are not a net contributor which means you cost more than the tax you put into the system. Its bonkers but very few people are net contributors !! That's a different concept to actually contributing to society through working

In 2022/23 everyone with an electricity supply got £400. I’m not saying this latest idea is perfect, but it avoids expensive means testing whilst also avoiding giving handouts to those who do live in large mansions in expensive areas. I can understand that someone just missing out living in a Band E property and with high living expenses might feel a little miffed, but it’s very difficult to be completely fair. This is a short term, temporary ‘benefit’. To make more money available to people through the tax system would require more major, permanent changes to tax rates and systems, so I can see why they have done it this way. Agree that the CT band system is a mess though!

Council Tax Bands

Very tokenistic, and a very blunt tool which won’t probably reach those who might need it most. But nice for those who will get it I’m sure, just feels a bit… drop in the ocean.

100% agree. Council tax bands are notoriously out of kilter across different regions. And does a family of 5 living in a band E house have less need of support than a single person in a band D flat? Yet another example of a government incapable of joined up thinking.

If you're sick to death you'll need a nurse.
It's shorthand, not 'shortcut'.
Don't bash people who work for the good of everyone...........

Council Tax Bands have been used before in recent years - I can't remember what the payment was for. It was pretty easy to administer particularly for those that paid/pay their ctax by dd.

My problem with council tax is not the bands but the huge differences between local councils in what they charge equally banded properties. Some London boroughs have the lowest in the country.

Absolutely agree. My road has 300+ houses, some are lovely big 3/4 bed semis with extensions and loft conversions are all are in either Band C or D... I live in a small 3 bed terraced house with 1 reception room, worth considerably less than the other houses and all of my terrace is Band E. We are the only 'new' (25 years old) builds on our street and the only houses in band E. To challenge the banding you need to show evidence of a similar age and style house on your road with a lower band... well, that isn't possible as all the other houses on this road are bigger, older and worth more. It is ridiculous that the cheapest houses are in the highest band. I pay over £320 a month in Council Tax!

I don’t think the PP was bashing them, just saying that they’re not as badly paid as is often made out, in her opinion.

Yet many single parent nurses do get UC top ups.

Well tell the PP that, whose opinion it was!

Or those living in England in houses built after 1991! My house is a 3 bed terrace- worth about £300k. My terrace are the only houses on our long road in Band E, all the rest are Band C or D. Some of those are huge 4 bed semis worth at least double what mine is. My Council Tax is over £300 per month. I am not rich by any means.

Stating that she had used AI to determine their average wage was fairly aggressive.

Would it have been aggressive if she’d just used Google?

That's what I was thinking ( I think we are band d so should get it) but would £8.33 a month make a difference to most people? I think most people wont even notice the difference in their bill. Seems like a colossal waste of money!

It will cover my electricity bill for 2 months. Or my gas bill for over half the year. So, it will make a big difference to some people.

Oh, you have very cheap bills! Is it paid as a one off in cash? Otherwise I still don't see that most people will notice a difference as most power companies charge you the same direct debit every month as you use less in the summer and more in the winter.

Yes, of course.

The £100 is one off paid to people in January. It will go to the bank account you use if you pay your council tax by direct debit. I think you will get a letter about if you don't pay by direct debit. That is what my local council said anyway, so I guess it will be the same everywhere.