Conservatives:Council Tax is the ultimate stealth tax

The Conservatives have accused the Government of turning the council tax system into the country’s “ultimate stealth tax”, after a survey revealed that millions of families are struggling to pay their council tax bills.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation reporting that over two million households are facing severe difficulties coping with their council tax demands, Caroline Spelman, Conservative Shadow Local Government Secretary warned: “The Government’s abuse of the council tax system has turned it into the ultimate stealth tax. A third of the basic state pension increase since 1997 is now ruthlessly snatched back in local taxes.

Labour’s increased use of means tested benefits and complex application forms has resulted in a reduced take-up of council tax benefit, so more people on lower incomes are paying higher council taxes.”

With the average council tax bill in England now over the £1,000 mark - leaving local authorities with a £589 million shortfall in unpaid bills, which they pass on to those householders who do pay their dues, Mrs Spelman declared:

“Hard-working families and pensioners are suffering from ever-increasing bills across the board - gas, electricity and water. But with council tax having shot up 84 percent under Labour, it is meeting this monthly bill that is causing very real worries to many people.”