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Council Tax & "Levelling Up"
Council Tax shows exactly why levelling up does not work in this country. It is not intended to work. It is just the rich taxing the poor.
If you live in a coastal area, or a poor area, your Council Tax will be high. So (for example) in Tendring a Band D is currently £1923 a year. Whereas, if you live in a rich area, like Westminster or the City of London, Council Tax is far lower. Band D is £864/£1074 respectively. A Band H in Westminster pays less (£1728) than a Band D in Tendring. So-why is this?
1. The first "fun fact" is that it is what your home was worth in 1991 that counts. 32 years ago. Why has this not been altered? Simple-house prices have skyrocketed in the rich parts of London. You know, the bits where MPs live. So-a £3 milly house may well be Band D
2. The Social Precept ensures the poor get poorer. It used to be the case that the massive costs of state-funded care homes was met by us all. Now it is borne by the Council taxpayers where the state-funded Care Homes are. Which is (of course) 0 in Westminster. And lots in Clacton. A massive redistribution of wealth. From the poor. To the rich.
3. Take a typical retired person in Clacton. Statistically, they are likely to have done some or all of the following.
While working, lived in London. When retired, sold house, bought somewhere smaller in Tendring. Gave money to help kids buy houses in London. Spent money/arranged lifetime Mortgages on house, so that Care Home fees are paid by "the state". So-the assets have gone to London. The debts have been borne by Tendring Council taxpayers.
This is not "levelling up". This is precisely the opposite.
If you live in a coastal area, or a poor area, your Council Tax will be high. So (for example) in Tendring a Band D is currently £1923 a year. Whereas, if you live in a rich area, like Westminster or the City of London, Council Tax is far lower. Band D is £864/£1074 respectively. A Band H in Westminster pays less (£1728) than a Band D in Tendring. So-why is this?
1. The first "fun fact" is that it is what your home was worth in 1991 that counts. 32 years ago. Why has this not been altered? Simple-house prices have skyrocketed in the rich parts of London. You know, the bits where MPs live. So-a £3 milly house may well be Band D
2. The Social Precept ensures the poor get poorer. It used to be the case that the massive costs of state-funded care homes was met by us all. Now it is borne by the Council taxpayers where the state-funded Care Homes are. Which is (of course) 0 in Westminster. And lots in Clacton. A massive redistribution of wealth. From the poor. To the rich.
3. Take a typical retired person in Clacton. Statistically, they are likely to have done some or all of the following.
While working, lived in London. When retired, sold house, bought somewhere smaller in Tendring. Gave money to help kids buy houses in London. Spent money/arranged lifetime Mortgages on house, so that Care Home fees are paid by "the state". So-the assets have gone to London. The debts have been borne by Tendring Council taxpayers.
This is not "levelling up". This is precisely the opposite.
Comments
When people are " Rich " "Upper Class " they think like the Government.
Because they become the Government...... go Fox Hunting..... cough!
Although there is not much hope.
I listened to a Minister on the telly yesterday denying that they were fast tracking asylum applications, they are just speeding them up.
https://uk.yahoo.com/finance/martin-lewis-shares-advice-council-155954157.html
A very good friend of mine tipped me off last year that someone in an identical property had successfully challenged their Council Tax banding & if I filled in a form I could get a refund dating back over 10 years. I filled it in, & 3 weeks later they sent me £3,800.
oioi