BURDEN OF COUNCIL TAX

Motion Text

That this House condemns the policies of the Government which caused the burden of council tax on householders to rise from ú10.1 billion in 1996-97 to ú15.3 billion in 2001-02; notes with alarm and dismay that the burden is now projected to rise even faster to ú17.8 billion in 2003-04 which would represent an increase of 76 per cent. in seven years under Labour and four times the rate of inflation of 19 per cent.; and calls upon the Government to recognise that such increases are an intolerable and unaffordable burden on all householders but particularly pensioners, more than one million of whom are already in council tax poverty being forced to pay more than 10 per cent. of their income in council tax.