Local Authorities: Financial Difficulties Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Lord Sahota
Main Page: Lord Sahota (Labour - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Sahota's debates with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
(10 months, 2 weeks ago)
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Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)
The noble Baroness is right to say that the current household support fund runs out on 31 March. However, the Government continue to keep all existing programmes under review in the usual way.
Lord Sahota (Lab)
My Lords, council tax banding for our 25 million homes in England is based on their estimated market value in 1991. So, a two-bedroom flat in London, where property values have gone through the roof, falls in the same band as its equivalent in the north of England; a £1 million home is charged 0.2% of its value; and on average, one worth £250,000 is charged 0.6%. This year, 46% of households in England will receive a bigger council tax bill than Buckingham Palace. Does the Minister think that our council tax formula is regressive and needs reforming?
Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)
As I said, in the next Government we will look at all these local government financing issues. We agree that that is long overdue, but the sector itself did not want that to happen in 2022.