It is entirely reasonable to conclude that councils taxing social security incomes shredded by central government impacts mental and physical health, low birth-weight and shortens lives. 

13 November 2017

To the Leader and members of Haringey Cabinet 

Before you decide on Tuesday to continue to tax the social security incomes of up to 29,911 Haringey residents in 2018/19 I would be very grateful if all the members of the Cabinet and yourself will read the first blog in a series of nine on Health Equality on the TAP website,  "Incomes are too low for children to live a healthy life from birth to death", by Dr Angela Donkin. It provides the undeniable evidence that low incomes and debt impact on mental and physical health, low birth weight and shortens lives. If you need any further confirmation I hope you will approach Angela Donkin and Professor Michael Marmot of the Institute of Health Equity. The other eight blogs on the TAP website are also relevant to your decision. 
 
The Table below is taken from the Public Reports Pack for the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday 14th November to which I am leading a deputation. It shows that up to £1,100,000 a year council tax is not collected from residents claiming social security. To reach that point the council will have issued up to 20,000 summons to court adding £115 to the arrears and sent out the bailiffs to collect the tax up to 11,000 times adding up to a further £420 to the residents arrears. The details of the totally inadequate social security incomes you are taxing, and then enforcing the tax, are set out in this blog I wrote for the Equality Trust and in my email to Councillors of the 10th November. 
 
It is entirely reasonable to conclude that councils taxing social security incomes shredded by central government impacts mental and physical health, low birth-weight and shortens lives.   
 
I will today make a request to the Scrutiny Committee to lead a deputation to their meeting on the 21st of November having the support of the signatures of 12 Haringey residents backing this statement.

Subject and Purpose of the Deputation to the Scrutiny Committee

We are concerned that The Cabinet is deciding to continue to charge 20% of the council tax against social security payments in 2018/19 which have been severely cut by central government.

We are also concerned that Haringey Council enforces council tax by adding court costs up to 20,000 times a year and instructs bailiffs to collect 
the tax up to 11 ,000 times often against social security payments.

We are also concerned that the undeniable evidence that low income and debt damage mental and physical health, and shorten lives, has not been fully taken into account.

We are in opposition to the proposals to continue to require social security payments to Haringey Residents to pay 20% of the council tax in 2018/19

With best wishes,

Paul 

 

TAP DEPENDS ON SUPPORTERS - PLEASE CONSIDER A

 MONTHLY CONTRIBUTION - THANKS  

from the Reverend Paul Nicolson


LATEST NEWS