Councils plead poverty while losing £2.4 billion in uncollected council tax
New figures reveal that town halls have failed to collect a massive £2.4 billion in council tax across England – equivalent to £100 for every household in the country. It is overwhelmingly Labour councils that have the biggest arrears and the worst collection rates.
The worst council in the country, Liverpool has £114 million of uncollected council tax, or £528 per household. Nine out of the ten worst councils across England are Labour-controlled. Croydon is the only Conservative council in the top ten offenders. By contrast, nine out of the ten best councils are Conservative, with South Cambridgeshire having arrears of just £11 per household.
Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, said:
“Incompetent and rotten Labour boroughs are turning a blind eye to tax evasion. These new figures show how Labour councils are driving up council tax for law-abiding taxpayers by their neglect. There is real scope for sensible savings to help pay off the Labour Government’s deficit and keep council tax down: every household in the country could get a cheque back for £100 if this tax evasion was tackled.”
These councils have the highest arrears per property:
Liverpool
Slough
Hackney
Hounslow
Lambeth
Croydon
Haringey
Luton
Lewisham
Islington
These councils have the lowest:
Chiltern
City of London
Malvern Hills
Broadland
South Norfolk
Warwick
Wychavon
Braintree
Amber Valley
South Cambridgeshire
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