Everything is going up except our income.

The amount of council tax paid also depends on how it is set within the borough. I live in a poor area of the NE where the council has a huge demand on its services. I pay more than someone in a much higher band in Kensington. How can that be fair?

I have seen prices in the supermarkets (Asda, Morrisons and Tesco) rising steadily. The cost of cereals, butter etc. All creeping up slowly but surely.

So do you think that a local income tax would be fairer?
Although it would probably cost more to administrate I think DH and I, as two pensioners, would welcome that. Unfortunately, it would work the same as the poll tax in that everyone who was working in a household would be expected to pay it.

The Liberals wanted to introduce a local income tax instead and the poll tax was supposed to be fairer - but look what happened then!!

Council tax - amount paid ( unless on benefits) is the same regardless of how much income is coming into the house. How is that fair - DH and me have very good incomes and pay same council tax as much lower earning couple next door. Not fair. Also bands stop at H - not fair.

I'm not given to agree here, Rigby46 "As council tax is an incredibly unfair tax that the better off benefit most from, it means the burden then falls on the not so well off." How do you feel the better off benefit most? The better off also pay more and receive the same or lesser services because they choose to use private services.

Rigby46 I know I have not seen increase in Aldi or Tesco, yet.

No, I did not vote to leave, but if I was Scottish I would certainly want out, as soon as possible. We have a holiday home in up north near Scotland, the Scots have such a hard time economically. Fine in Bury, to us.

As council tax is an incredibly unfair tax that the better off benefit most from, it means the burden then falls on the not so well off.

I'm not sure how that works? We all receive the same level of services from the LA whether we use them or not:

education.
social services.
roads and transport.
waste disposal.
economic development.
countywide planning and the environment.
protecting the public.
libraries.

We all contribute according to the banding of our property and some people may have a large house in a higher band but be cash poor. Some better off people may educate their children privately but are still contributing to the education of children in the area.
Waste disposal has become something which may have to be paid for on top of council tax.
Better off people may be able to fund their own social care but will still be contributing to the general pot.

I am not sure what you mean really.

Well Norah I don't know where you get that belief from - did you vote Leave btw? Anyway, read this

www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/03/21/inflation-leaps-23pc-february-higher-expected/

A good question gillybob. Re supermarket price rises - my dd says that she's also noticed for some things the price staying the same but the quantity decreasing. Exchange rate changes, because of Brexit, must play a part but we can't possibly know how much. Re council tax increases, it's not just social care it's also cuts in the grants that central government gives to local authorities - that helps central government to balance its books and throws the problem to local authorities. As council tax is an incredibly unfair tax that the better off benefit most from, it means the burden then falls on the not so well off. So I don't know about bring conned but we're certainly stuffed

I don't believe the minimal uptick in prices I see has anything to do with Brexit.