Liberal Democrats call for council tax freeze for most vulnerable as residents set to pay almost £2,000

Southwark Liberal Democrats have re-affirmed their manifesto commitment to freeze council tax for those most struggling, as the council tax rise agreed by Southwark Labour councillors comes into force from April.  

Southwark Liberal Democrats have consistently proposed this policy over the last council term, and have been blocked every time by both Labour and Green councillors.  

The policy would see a new support fund created to offset the rises, and more, for those already identified through the council’s existing council tax reduction scheme.  

Despite Labour’s 2022 manifesto promising to “keep council tax low”, they have raised council tax by the maximum allowed every year, with the combined tax take from Southwark and the Mayor now £300 more than in 2022.  A band D property in Southwark will now pay £1,967 a year, up from £1,692 in 2022. 

The Liberal Democrats have also committed to increasing the broader cost of living fund to aid families in crisis, and also to scrap council tax entirely for those with terminal illnesses. 

Commenting, Southwark Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Victor Chamberlain said:  

“Labour have let us down on the cost of living locally and nationally – with their failure to build affordable homes only compounding how hard local people’s finances are getting hit.  

A Liberal Democrat council would make the cost of living crisis its top priority, by putting our money where our mouth is and putting support where it is most needed by freezing council tax for the most vulnerable and expanding the cost of living fund.”