Rates (Hansard, 6 December 1976)

§ Mr. Durant
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average domestic rate bill in England and Wales in each year since 1972–73; 24W and what was the percentage increase over the previous year in each case.

§ Mr. Guy Barnett
The figures are as follows:

Average domestic rate payment £ Increase over previous year Per cent.

1972–73 60 13

1973–74 65 8

1974–75 74 14

1975–76 92 24

1976–77 100 9

These figures take no account of rate rebate or the special domestic rate relief schemes of 1973–74 and 1974–75.

§ Mr. Speed
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the proportion taken by rate bills of average personal disposable income of householders paying rates in England and Wales in each year since 1950.

§ Mr. Guy Barnett
Information on personal disposable income restricted to householders paying rates is not available, but domestic rate payments have represented the following proportions of total disposable incomes in England and Wales in recent years.

Domestic rate payments as a percentage of personal disposable income

1962–63(¹) 2.1

1963–64 2.3

1964–65 2.2

1965–66 2.4

1966–67 2.6

1967–68 2.5

1968–69 2.5

1969–70 2.5

1970–71 2.4

1971–72 2.6

1972–73 2.5

1973–74(²) 2.4 (2.2)

1974–75 2.2

1975–76 2.4

1976–77 (estimate) 2.3

(¹) Precise figures prior to this date are not readily available, but in 1950–51 the percentage was around 1¾ per cent.

(²) Sewerage charges ceased to be a direct local authority responsibility after reorganisation in April 1974. The figure in brackets excludes sewerage charges from 1973–74 rates and is comparable to the figures for subsequent years.

	Average domestic rate payment £	Increase over previous year Per cent.
1972–73	60	13
1973–74	65	8
1974–75	74	14
1975–76	92	24
1976–77	100	9

Domestic rate payments as a percentage of personal disposable income
1962–63(¹)	2.1
1963–64	2.3
1964–65	2.2
1965–66	2.4
1966–67	2.6
1967–68	2.5
1968–69	2.5
1969–70	2.5
1970–71	2.4
1971–72	2.6
1972–73	2.5
1973–74(²)	2.4	(2.2)
1974–75		2.2
1975–76		2.4
1976–77 (estimate)		2.3
(¹) Precise figures prior to this date are not readily available, but in 1950–51 the percentage was around 1¾ per cent.
(²) Sewerage charges ceased to be a direct local authority responsibility after reorganisation in April 1974. The figure in brackets excludes sewerage charges from 1973–74 rates and is comparable to the figures for subsequent years.