Two English Councils Exempt Terminally Ill Residents from Council Tax

In the UK, more than 14,000 people have signed a petition urging the Government to exempt State Pension income from income tax, arguing it is unfair to tax pensions and that the pension should not affect the tax threshold. The Government responded, stating that exempting the State Pension would be expensive and add complexity, especially given current fiscal challenges, and that higher earners would benefit more than those with lower incomes. Meanwhile, local authorities in Lancashire, including Blackburn with Darwen Council, have approved measures to exempt terminally ill residents with less than a year to live from paying council tax, following Manchester's earlier move. This policy aims to relieve financial pressure on terminally ill individuals and their families during difficult times, although some officials have expressed concerns about potentially intrusive assessments. End-of-life care charities and local leaders have welcomed these changes, urging other councils to adopt similar schemes. The Local Government Association noted that while some support is already available, there is growing interest in expanding such relief for terminally ill people.