Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect of the increase in council tax on living standards in each income decile.

Mr Marcus Jones

Council tax schemes are set by local councils who are also responsible for local council tax support schemes. Local councils know the local demographics, and have designed their own council tax support schemes to reflect these. Between 1997-98 and 2010-11, the average Band D council tax in England more than doubled. However, since 2010, council tax in England has fallen by 11% in real terms, and electors can hold councils accountable at the ballot box for any excessive council tax rises. The Department has not made any assessment of the effect of any increase on living standards.