Everything is going up except our income.

I believe we won't agree. I do find paying taxes fair, I do find income fairly taxed. I think the entire taxation scheme is well accomplished. Anyway, thank goodness we don't have higher taxation schemes like some other countries.

You know, the country where the excellent butter is made?

Yet Philip Green and others like him are allowed to destroy companies like BHS through greed even though he pays some tax. The people who should be paying the most tax are able to use tax avoidance schemes and pay advisors to minimise tax. During our 25 years of running a small limited company we have had people contact us to minimise tax but we would rather pay what we owe. Small companies are the backbone of this country.
I don't know why council tax doesn't have more bands. Surely if you live in a huge house you should pay more.

We live in Thanet I pay the same for my tiny one bedroom apartment as my neighbours in a two bedroom two bathroom apartment. I queried this and was told that on our development all apartments one or two bedrooms are taxed at the same rate. How is this fair

Well you have just caught your self out Norah. Denmark, where Lurpak is made does have very high rates of taxation like most of Scandinavia. It is also regarded as being one of the best places to live in the world and has a very high happiness index rate. I think it is shameful that such a small percentage of people pay a high proportion of income tax, surely this is a very strong indicator of the unfairness of income disparity? Personally, I don't give a fig well, actually I do what people earn are paid, as long as they pay the appropriate amount of tax on it. People like the loathsome Green are not to be admired, even by Norah .

I agree with Jalima I live in Dorset and will be paying £2500 council tax this year. As Jalima says, property rich yet cash poor so for me a council tax based on income would be great. I too don't understand the point Rigby made about better off people benefitting from council tax to the detriment of those who are less well off. I live in a valuable property and if I need social care at some point, the cost will be offset against the eventual sale of my home. Doesn't sound like a great deal to me.

I haven't noticed higher supermarket prices but always take advantage of special offers. I was browsing in M&S food last week, late in the day when the guy was reducing a huge amount of 'reached it's sell by date' food. I now have a freezer full of tasty foods which I usually can't afford. Way to go!

That's good! I thought M&S just in date food was sold to the staff (one of the perks, so someone who worked there told me).

Marydoll I assume your brambles are the same as my blackberries in which case :- try blackberry brandy.

Fill a large jar with blackberries to around two thirds full. Top up with brandy - preferably a middle range one on offer. Leave for 3 or 4 weeks turning the jar upside down and back every few days when you're passing to break down the juices. Decant brandy back into its bottle and maybe add a very little sugar to taste (depending on the blackberrys). THEN make your bramble jam/jelly with the sozzled berries.

I really came on to say that we'd be happy to pay council tax if it was fair. Around here the bands are haywire. Somehow a friend in a large Edwardian house in a posh area is the same band as we were in the nearby surburb in an extended bungalow. The banding needs to be reassessed more fairly, with maybe more bands. It seems that many big houses get off very lightly as there aren't enough bands to cover them

My mum used to work for M&S years and years ago and apparently there used to be a lot of squabbling between staff over who could get what. As usual some greedy people took way more than their fair share.

Teddy123 it's great when you get a real bargain isn't it? I love M&S's cheesy boule (loaf) but blimey it's expensive. I Sometimes get their "dine in for £10" when it's available too.

Exactly NfkDumpling .

OMG your Blackberry Brandy sounds soooooo delicious.

Oh NfkDumpling I have to try and make the brandy and then the jam. Sounds amazing. My family will love it. I wonder if you can do the same with gin. I am always looking for new things to make. Thanks for recipe.

We have Morrisons in our town centre as well as a Tesco but Morrisons fresh fish is cheaper or so I thought so until I went in Tuesday for a piece of fish a large piece I might add, came to £6.15!!!! Couldn't believe it thought it would be a bit dearer but not that much. I have noted some things are a lot dearer then normally. Our council tax is now gone up 4 % last year it went up 1% .

The plummeting pound caused partly by Brexit is the cause for the price rises. A small not for profit organisation I belong to had to by three m=new laptops recently and they went up £100 in the few weeks it took to get them.

With the cost of food, it seems to go up in jerks. Always has. There'll be a shortage of something so the price will rise and over a short period the rest of the shopping basket will follow. Eventually wages will catch up as the overall price never seems to drop.

Brexit is going to cost billions - what a pity that money wasn't invested in social care etc. instead of following a Brekit dream based on very little facts, but gut feeling, which was manipulated by the far right politicians and newspapers. I'm afraid we have got what was voted for, no use complaining when the reality hits home - It will be too late!

The problem is though that in some areas/jobs the wages do not go up accordingly NfkDumpling.

Yes, I believe that the Brexit is being used as an excuse (note I do not use the word 'reason') to jack up prices - but if it wasn't that it would be something else.

I do VERY much resent that a sizeable wodge of my Council Tax is devoted to paying for a Police & Crime Commissioner that I deem unwanted and (so far) pretty useless. In Lancashire, where I live, it appears that the turnout to vote for the candidates for this surplus post ran at just 14%......

But, I digress. Now that inflation is running somewhat above the Bank of England's desired 2% and there are rumours that the bank will be forced to start hiking up the interest rate from it's historic long-time low than that will be yet another perfect excuse for further increase in prices.

Increase in wages and pensions? Sorry, we have to go to the back of the queue behind all the greedy profiteers whilst they submerge their snouts in the trough - again and again!

Yes Gillybob ..... A first for me in M&S. I was sooooo excited! but not as brave as some who were actually checking the dates on some foods and asking the chap to reduce them. He obliged! Perhaps I could turn late nights at M&S into a new hobby.

I adore the cranberry loaf .... Very expensive and so good that I can polish off the entire loaf in a day! My secret passion. Who needs men .......

Ps my sis had a weekend job in M&S in the '60s to pay her way through university. Staff had the pick of returned clothes with minor flaws at low low prices .... my mother looked very smart! I shopped in Chelsea Girl and Biba!!!

granh1, UK pays £13billion into EU each year and only receives £4 billion back so UK will be better off eventually even if we do pay billions to leave. Countries like Luxembourg get a lot more back than they pay in.

We don't shop in M&S for food, we found the price too high for the quality. We started buying fresh meat in Aldi and found the quality exceptional. I used to buy meals for GC in M&S and they wouldn't eat them, when I tasted them I found they had way too much pepper and strong herbs for youngsters.
We are so disenchanted with M&S that we returned our cards.

GillT57 I'm not so sure I caught myself out. Denmark is where Lurpak is made and does have very taxes. I wouldn't want to live there, I wouldn't be at all satisfied - no matter their satisfaction rate. The social clime there is dodgey, imo. I must not agree with you either.

I used to do almost all my late grans shopping in M&S harri cakes,scones,dinners,more cakes, more scones,biscuits.... Choosing her food felt like I was enjoying them without getting fat. I agree that the quality does not justify the price though. I very rarely shop there for myself as our local M&S closed down.

My DH used to work quite a lot in Denmark GillT57. He said the people were lovely and always seemed very happy. I am really into Hygge so would probably love to live in Denmark.

I love M&S Food, not expensive in my view, fruit & veg keep better than any other Supermarket. Some items are expensive but if you pick & choose, especially offers. Even DD pops in sometimes, DGS loves their grapes.

Lurpak is the only butter/spreadable I will buy (slightly salted), nothing else has the same taste. The other week DD, her OH & DGS came to me mid-morning, she brought her own bread to make toast as "Nanny always has Lurpak"

I am a Retired Civil Servant (Early Retirement at 50) with a small pension, I rely on Benefits, if Pension rises then Benefit falls, so no gain there. I have not had a rise in my Pension for at least 3 years due to low inflation rate, my Pension rises at the same rate as Civil Service Salaries. Although I a only 61 I cannot work due to health issues.

My Council Tax has increased but due to Discount (single occupancy) & low income I do not pay anything. Electricity will go up from April, haven't heard about Gas yet. Less disposable income I only have a small LIDL, no ALDI near me although there is ASDA, Tesco & Sainsbury. I do shop around but will not waste fuel to do so.

Lego and Lurpak what's not to like?