In England, Two-Thirds Of Councils Are Considering Tax Increases For 2022

Two-thirds of councils in England are considering tax hikes next year, in another blow to family finances.

Millions of people across the country are now having to brace themselves for a double whammy of skyrocketing bills and an upsurge in National Insurance Payments.

According to some estimations, this is on top of rising inflation, which is already costing families more than £1,000 a year.

The BBC reports it wrote to 152 councils responsible for social care in England and 121 answered, with two in three saying they’re considering raising tax from next April. National insurance also increases in the same month.

The councils are waiting to make definitive decisions on any increases until the Government delivers more detail on funding, which is expected next week.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) previously worked out a 2.8 per cent rise in council tax would cost families an additional £40 a year.

The Prime Minister announced earlier this year he was hiking National Insurance contributions by 1.25 per cent, leaving basic rate taxpayers about £180 a year worse off.

According to calculations by the Labour Party, on top of that, rocketing inflation means the average British family are now more than £1,000 a year worse off due to soaring inflation.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the rate of Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation increased sharply from 3.1 per cent in September to 4.2 per cent in October, which is the most elevated level since December 2011.

With households spending an average of £508.50 a week on all areas in the financial year ending 2020 according to the ONS, Labour said this new CPI rate had seen the price go up by £21 a week, £93 a month or £1,111 a year.

This £93 a month hike, combined with £15 for National Insurance and £8.33 on average for council tax, means monthly bills for millions of households are set to rise by more than £110.

The bigger than anticipated rise in the cost of living comes amid surging gas and electricity prices, with regulator Ofgem recently increasing the energy price cap by 12 per cent.

But the figures also show sharp fuel cost rises and inflation building across food, household goods and hospitality as supply chain upheaval takes its toll.

The IFS said in October that under existing Government spending plans, a rise of at least 3.6 per cent on council tax bills will be required per year just for town halls to keep services operating at the levels seen before the coronavirus pandemic.

It seems that the friends of Boris Johnson and his cabinet have never had it so good. Meanwhile pensioners, and the disabled struggle to feed themselves. England is considered to be a nation that’s judged on how well it takes care of its elderly and vulnerable, but actually, it fails on every level possible.

People who voted for Brexit were forewarned this kind of thing would happen, but clearly, they didn’t believe it.

Boris Johnson really does need to go, but then I dread the thought of Rishi Sunak taking over because that would be disastrous for the working middle classes and the poor getting even poorer.

For as long as I can remember, councils have raised their taxes every year and after increasing them, they then reduce the services they provide, but if you’ve come over on a boat, you get a nice hotel to stay in and then eventually a nice four-bedroom house, nice benefits and a car. Very nice indeed thanks to Priti Patel.