Government has sunk 'Rock Bottom' over water charges

national | anti-capitalism | press release

Wednesday November 29, 2006 08:27

by . - We Won't Pay Campaign

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Don't pay water charges

The We Won’t Pay Campaign has attacked the Government over recent revelations that poorer householders who do not pay water charges will be pursued quicker than wealthy households.

Gary Mulcahy, secretary of the We Won’t Pay Campaign stated ‘It is a disgrace that the Government has paid Crystal Alliance, a major private company, £70 million of taxpayers money to persecute householders who refuse to pay water charges.’

According to the General Consumer Council, the debt management company will issue reminders to households categorised as ‘rock bottom’ within 14 days while it will take 28 days before households categorised as ‘affluent achievers’ will receive the same reminders.

Like wise, ‘rock bottom’ households will be issued with legal action after 49 days while ‘affluent achievers’ will have legal action taken against them after 80 days.

Mr Mulcahy added ‘Householders already pay for water through the rates and general taxation. These charges are an undemocratic and unjust double-tax. We are fully entitled not to pay these extra charges.’

‘ It is disgusting however that the poorest households have been labelled as ‘rock bottom’ while the richest households have been labelled ‘ affluent achievers’, and that Crystal Alliance is planning to persecute the poorest households with threatening legal action in less time than wealthy households.’

Mr Mulcahy continued to say that these measures would not be enough to defeat mass non-payment of water charges. ‘The Government has sunk rock bottom in resorting to these dirty tricks. There is huge support for mass non-payment of water charges. The We Won’t Pay Campaign has found support for this call from trade unions and local communities. Over 60,000 people have already signed our non-payment pledge six months before the charges are due to be introduced. These attempts to intimidate decent residents into paying this unjust tap tax will not succeed.’