Manchester is third highest city for unpaid council tax in the UK

UNPAID: Manchester has third highest rate

By Melanie Hughes

Uncollected council tax costing Mancunians more money than most other cities in the UK, a recent study has shown.

Research for the GMB union showed a total of £1.08 billion of local taxes were not collected in England and Wales in 2010/11 with Manchester coming third highest in the country.

The highest amount of uncollected council tax was in Birmingham (£33 million), followed by Westminster (£29 million), Manchester (£18 million) and Leeds (£15 million), according to the report.

Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles said: “Every penny of council tax that isn't collected means higher council tax for the law-abiding citizens who do pay up on time.

“A lot more could be done to improve the back office service, especially in Labour councils, which have the worst collection rates.”

The amount of uncollected council taxes and business rates in total is over £1 billion, and has been described as a "scandal and disgrace" at a time of spending cuts.

However, London had the highest amount of uncollected taxes at £239 million, followed by the North West (£153 million).

Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB, said: “It is a scandal and a disgrace, at a time when vital services for our elderly and our children in our local communities are being slashed due to government cuts.

“Feeble excuses about being unable to collect these taxes no longer wash. Urgent reforms to assist hard pressed council staff to collect these taxes are long overdue.”

Tax is a widely discussed topic at the moment and many people are unsure about where their tax money is going and whether it is being used properly.

Disgruntled taxpayer, Steve Jones, said: “My money is going to make sure no MP is forced to go without a moat.”