Claim that Lambeth residents won't 'pay an extra penny' in council tax simply untrue

Letters from Lambeth Council leader Lib Peck are currently dropping through doors telling Lambeth residents that:

"...for six years in a row, we will not have asked residents to pay an extra penny to the Council in council tax."

This is simply untrue.

A Freedom of Information request (reference 171140) we received from Lambeth council this week states clearly:

"From the process of issuing the 2013-14 council tax bills I can report that of the 134,712 properties in the borough there are 10,937 instances where a resident who received 100% council tax benefit in 2012-13, will receive less than 100% council tax support in 2013-14 and consequently will have to pay something. In addition a further 7,151 residents who received some council tax benefit in 2012-13 will now not receive council tax support."

Around 18,000 local residents will have to pay more council tax to Lambeth Council by its own admission. The increase for some many be up to £290. And it is these residents who are paying for the council tax freeze for everyone else.

The Council of has taken £2.5 million pounds from central government to freeze council tax for the rest of the borough. It has new powers to protect its most vulnerable and poorest residents from cuts to the new council tax allowance. Many councils around the country have done this. Lambeth has chosen not to do so. Instead it is passing on the cuts to the poorest.