Calderdale to Tax the Poorest and Sickest
From Gary W
Wednesday, 15 January 2014
From this April, all working age people in Calderdale will be forced to pay Council Tax of at least 10% of the total bill.
All those whom previously received full help/exemption from paying Council Tax will now have some to pay. Only pensioners will continue to receive full help.
No matter how poor or destitute you are, no matter how profoundly disabled, and even if you are in the process of dying a slow and painful death from cancer, you will have to pay.
Those whom don't pay could end up in prison for non payment of Council Tax. And as a former Welfare Rights Specialist, let me tell you that people in Calderdale do quite regularly get sent to prison for non-payment of Council Tax.
All working age people are affected, including single parents and the unemployed. Several thousand of Calderdale's poorest & most disadvantaged residents will now be faced with a new bill. The minimum payment for a single occupancy Band A property will be £13.72 a month. Labour run Calderdale will no doubt blame Central Governments 10% cut in local government funding, but it is in each LA's remit to choose whom should and whom shouldn't get full exemption from paying Council Tax.
Some authorities have chosen to protect the sickest, and most disabled residents, but our Labour run Council has not. It's a disgusting attack on the poor, a Tax on the benefits of those that have the least and it stinks!
From Sarah Crowley
Monday, 10 February 2014
This news is unbelievable. We need to start lobbying our local councillors and MP straight away. It's hard enough for people on benefits/ low incomes anyway what with the increase in fuel prices and food. When will the revolution begin I wonder? :)
From Benny M
Monday, 10 February 2014
Not only are we a Nation in terminal decline we are a desperate nation looking to apportion blame for the evils of the the banking system and the inaptness of politicians (of all parties)and the direct influence of Europe.
Someone has to pay for the greed excesses of the banking system and surprise,surprise it's those least able to bear the brunt who will suffer the most.
It's time to rise up and kick arse and make our voices heard or suffocate in a morase of absolute !!!!
From Gary W
Monday, 10 February 2014
By the way, the richest residents of Calderdale will have their Council Tax increase restricted to just 2%. Paid for in part no doubt, by taxing the sick, the destitute, the dying and the disabled!
From Cllr James Baker
Tuesday, 11 February 2014
Gary - I don't think it will be a 2% rise the Labour group on Calderdale are proposing to freeze Council tax. Personally freezing Council tax is something I support as it helps to reduce the cost of living.
However I do see the argument that you could use a 2% rise to help reduce the amount the poorest have to pay. I suspect Labour (who run the Council) know there are more votes in freezing council tax for most people, rather than putting it up and using the money to help the least well off.
From Gary W
Tuesday, 11 February 2014
James, you and your Lib Dem party must share the blame for this. Your party has tied one hand behind Calderdale's back by supporting nationally the axing of so much LA funding. Your Tory bedfellows have been very clever with this. By allowing each Local Authority to use separate individual Council Tax Reduction Schemes, it has been extremely hard to campaign against, at a sufficient enough scale to be effective.
You are also aware James, that Labour are a minority on Calderdale and need some Lib Dem or Tory support to vote measures through. All three main parties share some blame for this, and all 3 point the finger of blame at each other.
A quick look at how our neighboring Local Authorities are dealing with this shows that some have exempted single parents with children under 5 from having to pay any Council Tax and others have fully exempted certain groups such as the seriously sick and severely disabled. Our Councillors need to work together to improve this situation as neither has the mandate to Govern alone.
From Dave R
Wednesday, 12 February 2014
Despite, the refusal to offer exemption to those in most need, our council did delay this action for one year. Neighbouring LA's implemented this last year. So its a bit late to lobby now.
Welfare reform is progressing at a rate of knotts, making it easy for changes to be missed until they affect you. The next big bite your bottom one, is the introduction of Universal Credit.
The sick and needy are being sold down the river to meet the needs of the healthy and greedy.
Money is being literally thrown into events such as Le Tour whilst our young single unemployed will be made to live on aroundn £60 per week due to this council tax on the poor.
From Eleanor Land
Wednesday, 12 February 2014
It is a disgrace that the poor and vulnerable will be asked to pay this council tax, but I'm afraid our politicians have no conception of the lives these people live. They are all concentrating on looking after the so called "squeezed middle" and the rich. They are all as bad as each other, fiddling whilst Rome burns.
Pensioners like me have been protected from the sociopathic tendencies of the Coalition, probably only because we turn out and vote. However I am sure if they get re-elected they will be coming after pensioners next, they have to get the money for the next tax cut for the rich from somewhere and they are running out of vulnerable benefits to attack.
From Jon B
Wednesday, 12 February 2014
It's a risky strategy, and one that requires guts and commitment, but if we all voted with our Direct Debits, i.e. cancelled payments to Calderdale Council, as a form of protest, until they change their tune. If it was done en-masse, it may have an effect. I doubt that they'll be trawling the HebWeb Forum looking for opinions on their policies, so extreme action is the only course really.
From Cllr James Baker
Friday, 21 February 2014
Sure Gary, my party has some of the blame for the current Council tax reduction scheme. As do the Tories, and so do Labour for the the economic mess they left the country in. In fact I believe everyone has some responsibility for the economic state of the country (although I know it's more popular these days to pick someone else to blame).
Calderdale Council could choose to put Council tax up 1.99% this would provide around an extra £700k a year which could be used for extra council tax support. The reality is all three main parties would rather keep Council tax low so as not to impact on the cost of living for the majority of Calderdale residents.
With the cost of living being such major concern for people at the moment even Labour would rather impose more cuts, than risk getting accused of putting up Council tax (even at a modest amount around the level of inflation).
From Alan Crabb
Friday, 21 February 2014
I have just received a letter telling me that I have to pay £16 a month for my council tax and this needs to come from my JSA. Job Seekers Allowance is £280 a month and out of this I have to pay water, gas, electric, travel and food. I also have to pay £70 a month for my rent because of the cap on housing benefit.
I was ashamed to see that a food drop in has opened in Todmorden.
I would urge everyone who is working poor or unemployed to withdraw their vote from any local or national elections and expose the con that those in government work for our interests.
From Eleanor Land
Saturday, 22 February 2014
It must be very difficult for you Alan, unfortunately more and more people are being put in this position through no fault of their own.
Politicians from all parties have their fingers in their ears with regard to the benefit debate, they are pandering to the deserving and undeserving poor narrative because they believe it is populist.
It's a shame that the working class have been abandoned by all the major parties, maybe it's time to start a new political party which represents their views and interests.
From Alan Crabb
Wednesday, 26 February 2014
Cllr James Baker tells us that we are all responsible for the economic crisis, although in an email to me he stated that it is hard for him to influence things let alone change them.
We're not all in it together and some were more responsible for this mess than others.