Council tax up 5%

[Bengie]

Local authorities in England will be permitted to increase council tax by up to 5% next year.
They will be able to put 2% on bills, plus another 3% if they provide adult social care, the government announced.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said the money raised - plus extra from central government - would mean
a "real-terms" funding rise.
But Labour warned of a "vast" cash shortfall, resulting in job losses, service cuts and building sell-offs.
Mr Jenrick told the House of Commons that councils had so far spent £4bn of the £7.2bn made available by central
government for their response to coronavirus.

• Council tax 'likely to rise' after Sunak review
• Sunak reveals date of next Budget

Council tax increases will kick in from April - the start of the 2021/22 financial year.
Mr Jenrick said authorities were "not under any obligation to increase" bills.

 

[Smithers]

I just love that last sentence - Mr Jenrick said authorities were "not under any obligation to increase" bills.

That's the biggest joke I've heard in a long long time.

 

[Jennifer]

I think we all knew this was coming

 

[Mark]

Couldn't agree more with what you say Smithers. The tax increases every year whether they need to
or not and this year being allowed to increase by up to 5% actually say that it WILL increase by the
full amount allowed.

 

[Bengie]

Iy also means that any increase in my pension will be completely swallowed by the increase so we are
no better off in fact with the other increases in tax we will be a lot worse off than at present.

 

[Bengie]

So it's confirmed then 5%

"Plymouth City Council has said its cabinet will considering a 2.99% increase, as well as a 2% increase
to pay for social care"