Response to the Council Tax Benefit Report, Communities and Local Government Select Committee Report - 07.08.07

'The concept of a council tax is regressive and unhelpful. It is not based on the ability to pay and is therefore intrinsically unfair, especially to those on fixed incomes struggling to make ends meet. Since 1997, council tax bills in England have risen at twice the rate of the state pension¹ and although older people are able to apply for Council Tax Benefit too many pensioners fail to do so. IndependentAge calls for a complete review of the way older people receive the benefits to which they are entitled which is both simple and dignified. According to a previous IndependentAge/MORI² national survey one in seven (14%) pensioners refuse to suffer the indignity of a means test, even if it means not being able to claim a benefit.  Means testing is clearly a major barrier to getting help to those who really need it.'

 

¹ Local Government Association Survey, January 2006

² IndependentAge/MORI Survey, February 2005