UK households face new £543 council tax hike after increase in April

UK households face £543 council tax hike which will send them 'over the edge'
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A Labour Party council tax raid could push FOUR MILLION pensioners "over the edge" as bills look set to rise £543. Currently, the single-person discount provides a 25 percent reduction in council tax - but Angela Rayner has hinted at axing it.

The Labour Party have been warned that they risk pushing millions of pensioners "over the edge," if they scrap the single-person council tax discount. Around 8.4 million homes in England are entitled to single persons discount relief, with half of the beneficiaries aged over 65/

With the average Band D council tax bill in England standing at £2,130, the loss of this discount would be a substantial hit to many elderly individuals living on fixed incomes. The discount can save households up to £543 per year on a Band D property, or even more for higher-banded homes.

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Steven Kibbel, a financial planner at Gold IRA Companies, told GB News: "We're talking about an average saving of £543 per year on a Band D property. That might not sound like much to some, but for a pensioner on a fixed income, it can make a significant difference in their quality of life.

"The potential removal of this discount is particularly worrying given the current economic climate. Pensioners are already grappling with rising living costs, and many are concerned about the future of their winter fuel payments." Mr Kibbel warned: "Adding an extra £543 to their annual expenses could push many over the financial edge.

"Many of these single-occupant pensioner households are occupied by widows or widowers. They've already experienced the emotional trauma of losing a partner – should they now face financial penalisation as well?" Jan Shortt, general secretary of the National Pensioners Convention called the potential move an "unforgivable betrayal" that could force older people to "give up their homes".

"It will not be forgotten," she added.