Families face a municipal tax increase of over £ 100 to fund social care and police forces

Families face the highest city tax increases in nearly two decades to pay for social care, and Band D households face increases of more than £ 100.

Just a few weeks before Christmas, Rishi Sunak told taxpayers to prepare for higher bills in April to fund elderly care and police.

The chancellor said city councils will be able to increase municipal taxes by 5 percent next year, plus an additional £ 15 for police forces. This could bring the average Band D bill from £ 1,818 this year to £ 1,924 next year, an increase of £ 106. For owners of the larger Band H homes, the increase would be £ 212.

Harry Fone, Grassroots Campaign Manager for TaxPayers ‘Alliance, said:’ The constant increases in city taxes are hitting residents hard, but many people are wondering exactly what they get for their money.

Despite alleging poverty and saying that budgets are tight, city chiefs are still wasting cash on senior citizen salaries, pet projects and failed purchases of commercial properties. Local authorities should seek these savings before hitting households with tear rate increases.

Families face the biggest city tax increases in nearly two decades to pay for social care, and Band D households face increases of more than £ 100 as city councils get the go-ahead to raise city taxes in a 5 percent that bursts inflation. [Stock image]

The announcement about the municipal tax increase came when the Treasury confirmed that Boris Johnson’s welfare plan, first promised in July last year, will not be published until next year.

Mr. Sunak sidestepped the details of the increases in his Commons address yesterday, saying: ‘We are investing in welfare. Local authorities will have additional flexibility for municipal taxes and the adult social care provision, which together with £ 300 million of new grant funds, gives them access to an additional £ 1 billion to fund social care.

“And this is in addition to the additional £ 1 billion grant for social care that we provide this year, which I can confirm will continue until next year.”

City councils will be allowed to add 3% to their bills to fund adult social care in their areas. This is in addition to the 2% increase that local authorities can impose without having to hold a referendum. The Chancellor said councils will also be able to add £ 15 to Band D bills to hand over to police and crime commissioners.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak made the announcement in Parliament on Wednesday as part of his Spending Review.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said the amount of money awarded for social care was “insufficient” and criticized Mr Sunak for passing the buck on the city council tax increases.

‘Allowing city councils to raise more money for care by increasing municipal taxes is not an effective response because the areas where the money is needed most are not necessarily the ones with the strongest tax base, leaving those who they live in the poorest areas at a distinct disadvantage. ‘ she said.

“The problems facing social assistance are systemic and need to be solved at the national level, and when the government hides behind local authorities like this, it is shirking its responsibility.

“It is the elderly and disabled, and their families and caregivers, who as always will pay the highest price, most likely to have to get by without the support they need. This is a bitter pill to swallow.

The spending review documentation says the government will submit proposals on long-term care reform in 2021, but as a result of the decisions announced today, social care will be even weaker by then.

“It is difficult not to conclude that we have regressed.”