North East Lincolnshire residents worry over benefit cuts
A PUBLIC consultation on council tax benefits cuts has been met with concern by residents.
As reported in yesterday's Grimsby Telegraph, more than 10,000 people in North East Lincolnshire will receive 24 per cent less in benefits to pay their council tax bills.
-
From April next year, the grant given to councils across England to meet the cost of council tax benefit will reduce by ten per cent.
This equates to a £1.6 million decrease to the money available here in North East Lincolnshire, so the council is asking residents to give their views on the introduction of a new scheme.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Sunday, May 26 2013
The authority is asking your thoughts on the introduction of a localised council tax support scheme for the 22,000 claimants in the area, which is affordable within the remaining grant.
This means that roughly 10,500 people will receive about 24 per cent less benefit to help meet their council tax bill.
Tony Watson, 51, of College Street, Cleethorpes, said: "When I work, I am on the minimum wage and I do agency work so I'm really lucky to get a full week. I would much prefer to be working all the time, but it's hard to come by at the moment.
"I'm on housing benefit and council tax benefit gets paid to my landlord. I can barely afford to live at the moment and if they cut that benefit, I will have to pay more – and I just don't have more to pay.
"The other thing is that if I've got less to spend, even if it's only £5 or £10 less, then that is £5 or £10 that is going to the government or council instead of a local business."
Cheryl Silby, 56, of Reynolds Street, Cleethorpes, said: "It shouldn't have to be a case of raising taxes or cutting benefits – they should consider sharing out the burden 50-50.
"I know that benefits are a problem but then people have to live and there aren't many jobs. If they asked me to pay a little bit more and those who are getting benefits were to get a little bit less, I would think it sounded like a fair way of doing things."
Alfred Dumbrell, 66, of Castle Street, said: "As a pensioner, I get council tax benefit and I think it should be left as it is because I can't afford to pay any more than I am now.
"They are already cutting other benefits so we are already stretched.
"The Government should not be cutting the subsidy to councils.
"However, the fact is that they are and the council needs to protect people like me who can't afford to pay more."
Join the debate
Share your thoughts by e-mailing viewpoint@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk or by commenting on this article.
Comments
by EnlightendOne
Wednesday, September 26 2012, 10:35PM
“98,000 on three full time union conveners - now there's a saving without getting out of bed - but would our labour administration dare to act to save all council tax payers!”
by EnlightendOne
Wednesday, September 26 2012, 10:34PM
“98,000 on three full time union conveners - now there's a saving without getting out of bed - but would our labour administration dare to act to save all council tax payers!”
by EnlightendOne
Wednesday, September 26 2012, 10:33PM
“£98,000 on three full time union conveners - now there's a saving without getting out of bed - but would our labour administration dare to act to save all council tax payers!”
by notworthit
Wednesday, September 26 2012, 8:05PM
“The whole country has been living beyond its means for years and it has been masked by borrowing at every level. Now that the crunch has come, the sad fact of the matter is that there are too few people working full time to afford the levels of benefits (and I include the multitude of "credits") enjoyed by so many people. What some people can claim is absolutely beyond belief especially those with families who work the absolute minimum and then claim all sorts of credits and benefits to subsidise their lifestyle. From what I have seen I would be better off "partnering" someone with three or four school age kids and working half the hours that I do now.”
by notworthit
Wednesday, September 26 2012, 8:04PM
“The whole country has been living beyond its means for years and it has been masked by borrowing at every level. Now that the crunch has come, the sad fact of the matter is that there are too few people working full time to afford the levels of benefits (and I include the multitude of "credits") enjoyed by so many people. What some people can claim is absolutely beyond belief especially those with families who work the absolute minimum and then claim all sorts of credits and benefits to subsidise their lifestyle. From what I have seen I would be better off "partnering" someone with three or four school age kids and working half the hours that I do now.”
by notworthit
Wednesday, September 26 2012, 8:03PM
“The whole country has been living beyond its means for years and it has been masked by borrowing at every level. Now that the crunch has come, the sad fact of the matter is that there are too few people working full time to afford the levels of benefits (and I include the multitude of "credits") enjoyed by so many people. What some people can claim is absolutely beyond belief especially those with families who work the absolute minimum and then claim all sorts of credits and benefits to subsidise their lifestyle. From what I have seen I would be better off shacking up with someone with three or four school age kids and working half the hours that I do now.”
by diane38
Wednesday, September 26 2012, 4:28PM
“This goverment going to give country,s that have poverty like India more tax payers money, while save the children are helping children in this country because they are in poverty as well, and this council want to take more money from them if they have a spear bedroom and now poll tax”
by diane38
Wednesday, September 26 2012, 4:26PM
“This goverment going to give country,s that have poverty like India more tax payers money, while save the children are helping children in this country because they are in poverty as well, and this council want to take more money from the little amount they get, its disgusting.”
by Rambling_Mick
Wednesday, September 26 2012, 12:35PM
“The council is overstaffed and appoints people to non-jobs. They waste money left right and centre on gadgets and outings for staff, and it is the poor people who rely on the council to survive that suffer.
Maybe if the directors and deputies took a pay cut, they could save some more money, but I can't see that happening.”
by 1812o
Wednesday, September 26 2012, 10:48AM
“Of course the hard up people are going to be hit the hardest when the ConDems are only interested in TAX CUTS FOR THE RICH and the LibDems shouldn't have been so eager to jump in bed with the Tories. The DimLebs are like haemophiliacs hypnotised to Dracula's coffin and all for a bit of power.
No wonder this is the state of play:
CON 30%(-2)
LAB 42%(+2)
LDEM 8%(-2) On their way to Oblivion http://tinyurl.com/8vs55l3
UKIP 10%(+1)
Democracy will have its way and reverse this iniquity.”