Updated 28th March 2005

Government Grant of £200 in 2005 Read about it here

I have paid council tax all my life, with the exception of the brief time of the Poll Tax. In my opinion the Poll Tax was a much fairer tax but was implemented and presented badly.

As you will have seen in the news lately, pensioners in particular are rebelling against this onerous tax. Although I live in a small single-bedroomed flat the Council tax takes 10% of my income and I think it's time now to call a halt. Even the Government are beginning to think in this way although they point out that pensioners can apply for housing benefit to get some or even all of the Council tax paid. I have in the past helped pensioners to fill in these forms. It's not easy and you have to divulge information that you may not want a nosy council employee to know. This is why many pensioners do not claim benefits to which they are entitled.
If you need help filling in these or other forms you can seek the help of Age Concern, who are experienced in these matters. See the 'Help' page.
Many pensioners have only a small income but are penalised because they have been thrifty and have savings over an arbitrary level.

The UK government is elected by pensioners! Many years of monitoring polling stations has shown me that the elderly turn up to vote despite disabilities and bad weather. In one polling station in Bedford within about 400 yards of a college, only a handful of students bothered to vote, whereas elderly people were turning up on walking frames. If pensioners turn against any Government then that administration is doomed.

Pensioners are a hardy and long-suffering lot but will not wait forever for a change in Government policy on pensions. Pensions must be linked to average wages, not to an arbitrary rate of inflation.

I see that the Liberal Party is the first to tackle the problem of Council Tax. They are proposing, as I understand it, a local income tax and a local sales tax. What a brilliant idea to spread the load of paying for local services more fairly. My brother, who lives in the USA has been doing this for many years; every year he has to self-assess himself for both national and Local income tax. There's also a small local sales tax.

So, you Liberals, it's been well tried and tested in the USA; will it work in the UK? If they would promise to put this scheme into operation quickly I'd vote for them with one proviso; they get rid of Kennedy, who is mistakenly using the Iraq war to (he thinks) further his own ends. Paddy was a real leader, Kennedy is a wimp.

In the meantime Labour have come up, as I forecast, with a solution to glue yet another bit on to the pension.

Tony - Gordon, can we squeeze an extra 100 quid this year to help the pensioners pay their Council tax?
Gordon - You mean add it to their pension?
Tony - Yes, but this year only; it'll get us over the present nuisance and prevent a pensioner's riot. The old fools will forget all about fair pensions by next year.
Gordon - Good thinking Tony; I'll see if I can get the extra dosh from schools or the disabled- rob Peter to rob Paul so to speak.
Tony - Good thinking Vatman. But leave plenty in the kitty for Public Enquiries. We lawyers can't live without 'em. They're real money spinners.

Labour Council Tax scam 2005
It's happened again; £200 per household to help us pensioners pay our Council Tax. Last year it was £100 but this is 'Election Year. ' when all the MPs are fighting for their lucrative, pensionable jobs.

We want decent pensions, not handouts, and I'm disgusted at New Labour's refusal to reverse MaggieThatcher's pensions since they came into power. It's been 8 years now and no real movement over pensions. We expected (and deserve) more. Do they have a death wish? The Liberals are knocking on the door.

Make sure you quiz all candidates mercilessly on the subject of State pensions. There are plenty of economies that could be made to fund it

• Cut down court trials to one week maximum. After this time judges, barristers etc. would be working for bare expenses only.
• Cut out many public enquiries and restrict their length to 4 weeks or put a financial cap. After this the appointed Inspector would be working on bare expenses.
• The many enqiries demanded by political parties must be funded by that party or be denied
• Cut back on the increase in paperwork in all sectors, public and private. Even Housing Associations are being deluged with masses of paperwork that puts their, and the Government's paperwork up. It also puts our rents up. Most Housing associations are non-profit trusts, but this bumf still has to be paid for.
• Put control of Education, NHS, Fire Services, Transport etc. into the hands of specialists and cut the number of MPs in half.
• Replace the House of Lords with a much smaller Chamber of specialists.
• Make crime pay for us by stripping criminals such as drug dealers, burglars, muggers, con artists and the like of their possessions. make sure that Police and Courts know that we expect them to make a profit.

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If the above makes you think that I have Conservative leanings forget it. The party of low taxation? Who raised VAT from 8% to 17.5%? The party of business acumen? Who privatised British Rail?

If us pensioners don't get more consideration from all political parties we'll strike for sure; no baby-sitting, no weeding, no meeting little Johnnie from school; my God- it'll be hell out there I tell you.

Email to Grandad on this subject