On 19 December the Department of Communities and Local Government announced that councils will be able to raise tax by up to 5.99% to address shortfalls in social care funding: Government sets out further measures to support councils to deliver services
This announcement will be welcome good news for many but will also have lead to some mixed reactions, not least among carers. Additional funding for social care should help carers and their families by making more support available but having to pay more council tax will be less welcome
Sajid Javid, the communities secretary said he wanted to ease pressure on council services but did not want taxpayers to have to pay higher bills. However, The Guardian (19/12/17) suggests that council tax bills could rise by up to £100 a year . Perhaps, not surprisingly critics have accused the government of “shifting the burden” — and blame — for struggling local services away from Whitehall and on to council taxpayers (The Financial Times 19/12/17)