It is the law of the land that people living alone are entitled to a 25%
discount on their council tax. This is a poor rate of discount compared to the
average household of four who use almost four times as much of council services
but it is the way it is. The blame lies with Michael Heseltine, one time Tory
cabinet minister.
Bexley council regularly asks residents who claim the single person’s discount to
justify their claim. Until 2010 it has consisted of a paper questionnaire to be
returned by post to their offices. I have always scanned and emailed mine to
them. Usually they query it which is tantamount to calling me a liar but that is
the way of council officers - belligerent and power-crazed. I simply tell them
that if they don’t believe my claim it’s up to them to disprove it, otherwise
“see you in court”.
Up until now the council have backed down but this year they have resorted to
tricking people into phoning the council and using a lie-detector. It’s the sort
of behaviour to be expected of a police state. Council staff are too often
unintelligent individuals incapable of holding down a proper job so it comes as no
surprise that they can’t operate an unreliable piece of equipment. As a
result they have demanded four figure sums of back-dated taxes from totally
innocent people fully entitled to their discount.
More details were
blogged on 13th October 2010.