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Abstract:Council tax was introduced in Britain in 1993, and is the only tax available to local authorities. Over the years there has been growing belief that council tax is need of reform due to various inequities within the system. This study seeks to identify whether a reform is necessary, and identify the most appropriate reform model.
This is achieved by in-depth analysis of existing research and literature on potential reforms available in relation to the council tax, as well as primary research conducted to substantiate a suitable alternative to the current system. Primary research involved the distribution of questionnaires to 54 participants in three different boroughs in the south-east region.
Research findings indic本英语毕业论文由英语论文网www.51lunwen.org整理提供ate that the current council tax system is in fact, in need of a reform. Appropriate reform models entail the introduction of frequent property revaluations, implementation of an additional valuation bands, and a reform of the benefits system by increasing the savings limit and enabling pensioners to accumulate council tax bills to be paid at the probate stage. In relation to the growing problem of regional variation of council tax rates, replacing the current banding system with regional bands or increasing local authority responsibility instigate a solution to the disparity.

Table of Contents
1.0. Introduction 7
1.1. Chapter Summary 8
1.2. Aims & Objectives 9
1.3. Background 9
2.0. Literature Review 10
2.1. Introduction 11
2.2. Council Tax Increases 11
2.2.1. The Layfield Report 11
2.3. Revaluation 12
2.3.1. Frequent Revaluations 12
2.3.2. A Regressive Tax 13
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2.5. Property Bands 16
2.5.1. Re-banding by Revaluation 16
2.5.2. Extra Bands 17
2.6. Eight Band Regional Model 18
2.7. Horizontal Equity 18
3.0. Research Methods 19
3.1. Introduction 20
3.2 Research Philosophy 20
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3.7. Validity & Reliability 22
3.8. Limitations 22
3.9. Research Ethics 23
4.0. Findings & Analysis 24
4.1. Introduction 25
4.2. Questionnaire Analysis 25
4.3. A Revaluation: Council Tax Rates and Government Grants 50
4.3.1. Increasing Local Responsibility 52
4.4. Findings That Agree With the Literature 53
4.4.1. Findings That Do Not Agree With the Literature 54
5.0. Conclusion 55
5.1. Introduction 56
5.2. Summary & 本英语毕业论文由英语论文网www.51lunwen.org整理提供Key Findings 56
5.3. Concluding Remarks 59
5.4. Limitations 61
5.5. Implications for Further Research 62
6.0. Bibliography 63
7.0. Appendices 69
7.1. Appendix 1: Questionnaire 70
7.2. Appendix 2: General Questions From Questionnaire 74
7.3. Appendix 3: Further Analysis of Question 8 79
7.4. Appendix 4: Further Analysis of Question 9 81
7.5. Appendix 5: Further Analysis of Question 10 82
7.6. Appendix 6: Further Analysis of Question 11 85
7.7. Appendix 7: Further Analysis of Question 13 87
7.8. Appendix 8: Further Analysis of Question 14a 88
7.9. Appendix 9: Further Analysis of Question 18 89
7.10. Appendix 10: Further Analysis of Question 19 92
7.11. Appendix 11: Further Analysis of Question 21 93
7.12. Appendix 12: Further Analysis of Question 23 94
7.13. Appendix 13: Further Analysis of Question 24 96
8.0. Ethics Form 98