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Over 65 Council Tax refund

Council Tax refund for one year in 2005 Budget.

Gordon Brown offered a one off refund for over 65s off their council tax.

The Guardian Reports on this budget story as an attempt to knock down the Torys who've offered more discounts for pensioners on their council tax bills - visit the guardian news story about this Budget Bribe (Will have to register I think but its free and simple and means you can access lots of news items

BBC reports on this too

BBC Pensions benefit

Pensioners to get a council tax refund of £200

Free local bus travel for every pensioner from next year

Pension credit to rise by 13% by 2008, in line with earnings.

Unfortunately council tax is being changed this year - and the bands will be adjusted. So pensioners might well find their £200 refund only brings them level with this years bill - view this press release about rebanding of council tax -

Council Tax Rebanding and Revaluation Horror

COUNCIL TAX REBANDING INCREASES - THE REAL STORY

The following is a statement from Christine Melsom, founder of the UK-wide IsItFair Campaign, regarding the imminent effect of property revaluation and rebanding in Wales, and also the potential future impact on households in England and Scotland, where property revaluations will take effect in two years time.

"There is rapidly growing concern about the effect of the property revaluation and rebanding in Wales, which comes into effect from 1 April. Now that most Welsh Councils have announced their increases we know that one in every three households across Wales face massive increases in their Council Tax bills from next month.

"We were led to believe that the 'ups' would be balanced by the 'downs' in the Wales rebanding exercise. Now the cat is well and truly out of the bag!

"For every FOUR houses that have been moved up in the property bands, only ONE has moved down.

"Every household that has been moved up by just one band faces an increase of between 12% and 33% from 1 April based on Council announcements to date.

"Even worse, many houses in property hotspots have been moved up by two or three bands - for these people the increases are so high (some are over 70%) that the Welsh Assembly has instructed Councils to stagger them over 2 or 3 years!

"The people of Wales have been used as the guinea pigs for the revaluation and rebanding exercise, and many people who are already struggling to pay their Council Tax bills will now face even greater hardship as a consequence. How can we be expected to believe politicians who are telling us that fears of a similar effect from the revaluation in England and Scotland are unfounded?

"The present system of Council Tax is regressive - the less income you have, the higher the percentage of your income you have to pay in Council Tax. Many people now pay far more in Council Tax than they pay in Income Tax. The first essential step must be to stop using property value as the basis for this tax. Past or present value of property should be irrelevant to the calculation of tax for local services.

"We want a fairer system for everyone that takes account of their ability to pay. This will never be achieved by continuing to patch up the present system with revaluations, rebanding, increased means testing, or any form of discount.

"The present system of Council Tax must be scrapped and replaced by an income related tax which would spread the burden more fairly. In addition to making the tax fairer it would completely eliminate any need for property revaluation, means testing or discounts."

Anyone wanting to join the IsItFair Campaign can find more details at www.isitfair.co.uk

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