Council tax rises to affect the poorest
The government has announced that there will be a £41 rise in council tax, which has been heavily criticised as it will hit already struggling households the hardest, as Band D homes will see bills increase by 3 percent from £1,373 to £1,414.
There will be an overall rise of 2.6 per cent from £1,145 to £1,175 and, according to local government minister John Healey, he is willing to be tough with capping powers in order to protect homeowners from excessive council tax increases.
Still opposition has come from the Conservative Party as spokeswoman, Caroline Spelman, said that the government’s refusal to freeze council tax at a time of increased unemployment and pay freezes is an insult.
A breakdown of council tax across England shows that there are huge differences, not only between different parts of the country, but also between towns and the countryside.
In the home counties, the average council tax bill will increase by 3.3 per cent to £1,453 which is nearly treble the increase for Band D households in London where the average bill rose by 1.3 percent to £1,308.
Metropolitan areas seem to have borne the brunt of the increase with an average 3 percent as the biggest bills are found in Nottinghamshire where council tax is increasing to an average £1,656 whilst in the London boroughs of Wandsworth and Westminster, the average Band D property is paying just £687 and £688 respectively.
However, some councils such as Derbyshire have announced that record budget deficits exist and, if it not for an increase, then further cutbacks would be needed.
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