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UK households to face financial squeeze, tax hike in April
The UK County Councils Network (CNN), has says millions of households in Britain are facing another financial squeeze with local authorities set to raise council tax by five percent in April, the maximum amount possible, as they attempt to make up for funding shortages.
According to the CNN on Tuesday, three-quarters of English councils with social care duties are set to hike tax which would see £100 a year added to the average Band D property’s council tax bill.
The Labour vice-chair of CNN and leader of Cheshire East council, said local authorities “have little choice but to propose council tax rises despite recognising the disproportionate impact of the cost of living crisis on low-income households.”
Read also:UK to strengthen trade relations with Nigeria using new trading scheme
“With councils facing multimillion funding deficits next year, the alternative to council tax rises would be drastic cuts to frontline services at a time when people at the sharp end of the cost of living crisis need us to be there for them,” he said at a press conference.
James Jamieson, chairman of the Local Government Association, also said:
“An increase in local government core spending power will help councils deal with inflationary and other cost pressures they face next year.
“However, it is based on the assumption that councils will raise their council tax by the maximum permitted without a referendum.”
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