Yes Im all for the old folks home for non payers,providing its nearly up to the standards of the prisons,TV, meals,and a descent rest room.With Leave, at times, for good behaviour. Sentence to be at the least 20 years.

derek bevan, huntingdon/cambs, England/UK

Don't imagine that you get poor value for your council tax. The index linked pensions that the higher paid council oficers get are worth a small fortune. For those astronmers out there, Local Government Pension liabilities are a black hole the size of which is yet to be fully appreciated and all funded by council tax. This is why they take is so seriously when someone refuses to pay, it would undermine their pensions.

Paul, London,

Whatever your political views are, the unpalatable truth is that a socilaist welfare state is unsustainable. With each day, government expentiture grows, feeding off the wealth of the ever dwindling middle classes.

Oliver, Cambridge, UK

Thats right Mr. Brown....keep putting the elderly in jail. I consider them all my fathers, mothers, grandparents. This is a disgrace of the highest order. You and your government should rot in hell. Not one of these distinguished citizens deserve to see a moment in prison. Shame.

andrew, London,

This Government and the Country should be ashamed of itself.
Yet we let it carry on.
All I can hope for is that these Brave Pensioners carry on and someone in Government actually makes a stand for these people.
MP's have become (probably always were) very materialistic like all of us and all they seem to be worried about is lining their own pockets without actually doing anything decent for the rest of us.

Dave, London, South East

I totally agree with gerry from devon, why should I work hard all my life and those that choose not to work cause they cant be bothered get away with rent ,council tax, their given money by way of loans to furnish their homes, if we cant afford to buy a new carpet or furniture its to bad. Enough is enough

sue, bournemouth, dorset

if you don't pay a stupid council tax you go to jail.

If you don't declare money for your political campaign, you get a job as Minister...

What are you waiting for a REVOLUTION???????????

Stop drinking tea, and get out in the streets!

riccardo, brussels,

It is clear that this government would rather you did not save for your old age. From the taxation of pension funds, to the provision of minimum pension guarantee there is no point for a person on moderate income to make provision of any sort for their old age. The mantra must now be spend and enjoy what you have now and hope to leave this earth without any assets. After all this is what keeps the economy going !

David Nammory, Liverpool,

I pay £2.5K/yr for two bin bags per week collected, that is £24/bag! I know that the authority have other expenses but that is all I see attributable to me directly. A very poor deal for two 70yr olds don't you think?
I am sorely tempted to join the ranks of the criminal withholders, jail might be a pleasant change from worrying about bills - would they take us both do you think?

Jim Golightly, Prudhoe, England

There are so many people on benefits that the working citizens have to make up for their scrounging lifestyles. The benefits lot pay no rent, no council tax, no school meals and are paid more every time they reproduce. It has gone too far.

gerry, exeter, england devon

If all of we pensioners simple refused to pay would we all get jailed. The jails are full so I don't think so. If we do at least we would get free food and heating. Everyone just don't pay, march on the streets help to repeal this disgraceful tax on the elderly and the poor.
Not since the times of King John have taxes so unfair been forced on the people of this once great Island. How can we let ourselves accept this social injustice? Are our elderly to be taxed into cold and starvation?

Tony Woods, London, UK

It has to go! This ludicrous tax, based on an estate agent's guess as to the value of your property should never have been more than a stop gap while we contemplated something sensible like local income tax and vat. When is Cameron going to wake up to this?

John Ledbury, Kings Lynn, England

As a 50 year old I am not relishing old age in the UK. Something is seriously wrong with our society and it does appear to be going down the drain. I have been a local councillor and believed in our political system but today I see corruption, greed, and a lack of what would appear to be fair. The economy and social fabric is seriously skewed away from reality and is in danger of systemic collapse.
Without a strong Middle Class, social cohesion will break down and the state will exacerbate the problem by seizing more power and raising the burden of taxaxtion on those that remain. Wake up Britain before it is too late!

Steve Marchant, Broadhempston, UK

While I don't believe that pensioners should have to pay the full council tax amounts, it worries me that the examples in this article probably did contribute to pension schemes throughout their lives. Compare this to society today, where people would rather spend money on holidays, dvds and music than have a pension and many have no plans for the future at all. What will the story be like in 30, 40, 50 years?

David, Nuremberg,

The council tax is for everybody to pay. Therefore why not tax everybody at source on there income before standard rate tax is taken at 5%.
And it's about time you left the pensioners out of the loop of income Tax council tax until they have a yearly income of £20000.
When you get to 65+ and paid your dues then it should be up to you how you enjoy spend what little time and money you have,not the goverment.

john , derby, england

Weird how easy it is for magistrates to put old people away for such a serious crime, but bludgeon someone and they'll give a Community order.
Ms Hardy has a point - bed and board being provided by the state. One would hope that such hardened criminals are sent to appropriate institutions - open prison would seem to be perfect.
There might be a case for a national group of interested pensioners to be set up to ensure that prisons are suitably equipped for the physical needs of those who decide that prison is the best place to be. Think about, they'll be away from the muggers and the drugees. Hmm - I'll have to think about that solution myself.

Bill Q, Derby,

That NuLabour has decided impoverishment in the elderly merits a jail sentence, whilst letting violent criminals go free due to an alleged lack of prison space just about sums up this government's priorities. Add to that the unlimited financial assistance (involuntarily provided by British taxpayers) that they're throwing at undeserving immigrants who haven't had to put one penny in the pot, and you have their distorted view of fairness in a nutshell.

arianna, washington, usa

My God, what has happened to England?? These poor people are being jailed for not being able to keep up with the ever increasing financial burden being placed upon them by the gov't, yet radical Islamic clerics are free to preach death and destruction to their followers. Have we all fallen down the rabbit hole?

C. Heathcote, Brick, USA/NJ

Do you feel that rumbling beneath you Mr. Brown ? It ain't an earthquake. Its your former bedrock supporters voting with their feet.

Dr. Jimmy, Nottingham, England