In our Monday chat, we dove into how the financial troubles facing local councils are also troubling for organizations like charities that depend on council funds. We talked about how this situation might lead more people who usually get help from these charities to seek help directly from the council. We also touched on the expected rise in council tax next year, with most councils raising it to the maximum allowed 4.99%, and what this means for both tax collection and support for those who struggle to pay it.
Additionally, we discussed how various issues, even those that might seem unrelated at first, could increase workloads. For instance, more people choosing to live together without getting married or forming a civil partnership can affect our cases. We also talked about the growing use of bailiffs and the ongoing decline in high street shops.
The recording can be accessed from https://bit.ly/VNR240205