Council Tax

Council tax is Britain’s top tax issue. The unfairness of council tax has long been clear. Especially for pensioners on fixed incomes.

Yet it’s now national headlines, as almost all councils have increased it, above inflation, for several years. Mainly as Whitehall has forced them, through rigged grants.

With this year’s average tax rise at around 13% - nearer 18% in London – the unfairness of the grant system and council tax is evident to all. London has fared badly – for two reasons.

First, Boroughs have received smaller Government grant rises than most Northern councils – and Kingston got one of London’s lowest. Second, Ken Livingstone increased his council tax precept by a staggering 29%. Liberal Democrats in the Assembly voted against Ken, but Labour vetoed plans for a lower rise.

In Kingston, a 12.6% rise thus became a 15.3% rise overall. Yet this is still one of the lower rises in London. Unlike last year, before the elections, when Kingston’s rise was the highest.

These rises hurt, as council tax bear no relation to ability to pay. We must tackle this.

First, let’s have a £100 refund to all council taxpayers, funded by an income tax rise for individuals on any income above £100,000 a year. Then let’s abolish the unfair council tax altogether and have a local tax related to what people can afford.