Council tax rise 'will hit pensioners'
Two older people's charities have criticised this year's expected three per cent increase in council tax.
Age Concern and Help the Aged say the tax hike will hit pensioners hard, as they are often "asset rich, but cash poor" – meaning the size of their property will see them paying more.
Inflation rates remain particularly high for people in retirement in comparison with younger age groups, and while this year's state pension uprating will be some help, the charities warn that older people are more vulnerable to the recession than most.
Anna Pearson, Help The Aged's policy manager, reminded people drawing a pension to check they are receiving all the benefits they are entitled to.
"Only 45 per cent of older people claim the council tax benefit that is rightfully theirs," she added.
Just Retirement recently highlighted the difficulties faced by pensioners in the current economic turmoil and urged people approaching or in retirement to look carefully at their financial circumstances to avoid getting into difficulty.
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