A new report estimates that the average bill has soared by 77 per cent in real terms in recent decades and have become an even greater burden amid falling benefits support.
A report warns that council tax is becoming a significant financial burden for the poorest households, disproportionately affecting them as their incomes stagnate. The poorest fifth of households now spend 4.8% of their income on council tax, up from 2.9% in 2002-03, compared to 1.5% for the richest. The report likens the situation to the controversial 1990s poll tax, which led to widespread protests. The government states that councils should consider the impact of tax rises and that a referendum threshold is in place to prevent excessive increases.
