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"I'm quite prepared to go the whole hog and go to prison if I have to. Now is the time for some direct action."

Albert Venison Axminster

Sitting at his kitchen table in Axminster, Albert Venison taps at a calculator and scribbles calculations on the envelope of his latest council tax bill.

Like many people Albert had a nasty shock when the bill popped through the letterbox last month - the council tax had gone up, in his case by 18%.

And like many pensioners, Albert wonders how he will be able to afford the new payments.

"I have to draw on my savings now to be able to meet my commitments," says the 78-year-old. "I can't go on taking out £100 a month from savings. The money won't be there forever."

Albert is one of more than 200 pensioners in Devon who've decided not to pay the increased rate.

Instead, they're now paying last year's rate plus inflation - and they're prepared to go to jail in protest, if necessary.

"I'm not worried about what's going to happen," he says.

"What does it matter if I go to prison for a couple of weeks? I'm not applying for any jobs. It doesn't matter if I get a criminal record. If I have to go to prison, well jolly good!"

Similar protests are underway across the country, many of them organised by pensioners.

Most of the rebels have never broken the law before - but they've cancelled direct debit payments and are determined not to pay the additional sums.

Organisers compare the movement to the mass protests that erupted against the poll tax in the 1990s. Only this time it's being led by pensioners.

The protesters even include a retired policeman and a magistrate who once sent poll tax non-payers to jail.

Others are taking different steps, writing to MPs and local councils, organising protests and petitions.

In Surrey, John and Christine Melsom have set up a website campaigning for a fairer system of local taxation.

They stress that they're not recommending non-payment. Instead they hope to collect signatures for a national petition to be handed in to Downing Street in June.

The website is now receiving more than 1,500 hits a day, with new groups signing up every week.

"People are getting more and more angry," says John Melsom.

"You reach a point where there's got to be a showdown. You cannot go on increasing this tax in the order of 15%.

"We need enough people to be angry enough and then the government will have to take some notice."

Local councils say they've had to put up council tax rates to pay for essential services.

John and Christine blame the government for using council tax to fund services which should be met from direct taxation.

"It is very unfair, particularly to pensioners," says John. "It takes no account of ability to pay.

Spending by the council is entirely controlled and ordered from Westminster and we have little or no say on what the money is spent on".

But the government denies this, accusing local councils of increasing council tax for political purposes. And they urge people not to break the law by withholding payments.

You'll be able to watch this week's Your Politics report after 1830GMT.

What you can do:

John and Christine Melsom's website can be found at http://www.isitfair.co.uk

The National Pensioners Convention offers support and advice to pensioners across the country. Their website can be found at http://www.natpencon.org.uk

Your comments:

We've been in our first home for 4 years now. In the 1st year our Council tax was £730, this year it is £990. If it keeps increasing at this rate, we'll be paying nearly £2000 within 5 years... for a two bed terraced house in Kent.
Simon, England

I find council tax rises frustrating, when we see no improvement in services. I am against boycotting the rises, as none of us know the full story, and I am in no doubt that the rises are necessary. I have more sympathy with the Liberal Democrat policy of tax increases for the rich, as this does good from all perspectives and promotes a fair and equal society.
David, UK

People who do not pay the council tax should stop receiving public services

Isaaco De Blanco, England

People who do not pay the council tax should stop receiving public services and if necessary be sent to prison. In fact I would go as far as to say that they should have yellow crosses painted on their doors so that if their house is on fire the Fire Brigade know that they haven't paid and should not be assisted.
Isaaco De Blanco, England

I have no problems paying my council tax, but this is getting silly now. Why are some councils charging up to 20% more than others for the same size property? What differences would there be in costs for that property? We can go to jail for not paying our council tax yet we have absolutely NO say in how the money is spent. What I would like to know is where all this money is going and who is monitoring it. The councils are well known for their inefficiency and wastage, has anyone thought of streamlining their operations before they fleece us? They're not even accountable for their failures. While I will admit their customer service has improved a bit over the last few years, they still seem to be a law unto themselves
Nedine O'Brien, England

Council tax bills have already been an EXTORTIONATE amount to pay every month, so this years increase worsens the whole scenery by far. And it is not only the pensioners who are hit hard, I am young but cannot afford any savings or even a decent disposable income after the criminal amount of council tax is taken from me every month.
Edwin, Edinburgh, UK

The enormous Council Tax rises are absolutely outrageous

Craig Deerfield, England

I'm with these poor, anxious, bullied people all the way - my crippled and very elderly mother is in exactly the same situation. The enormous Council Tax rises are absolutely outrageous, immoral and unjustified - yet another example of local Council buffoons who have to resort to legal extortion to cover their waste and incompetence. I am one of the few who actually supported the principle of the doomed Poll Tax, because although it came from the most arrogant and condescending woman ever to gain election to public office, it did in fact aim to achieve precisely the right goal - the fair payment of a flat rate according to individual living circumstances - so a pensioner would pay according to the quantity of services a pensioner would actually use, and likewise a family of ten.
Craig Deerfield, England

The raises are not necessary in many cases. In my area we all had a letter from the parish council asking for suggestions on what we would like done in the village because they've been given some extra money. The favourite suggestion was to give it to the village junior school since they've had their budget cut, but apparently that is not allowed. Frankly I wish Whitehall would leave local funds allocation to local people.
Kathy Sadler, UK

In Wakefield where I live, the Council has money to plant thousands of garden daffodil bulbs in the most inappropriate places on country lanes, it has money to appoint sex discrimination officers at the Town Hall, but it hasn't the money to recycle household rubbish or escort to school the 9-year old blind son of a blind single mother. So why should I pay for a tax rise?
Beryl Williams, England

I am amazed that, after the poll tax riots of 10 years ago, people are meekly accepting this.

Simon, London, UK

The rises in council tax are quite ridiculous. It is simply that the government, despite increasing taxes, has reduced funding to local councils. Most of these councils have no option but to increase council tax to meet their expenditure.

At the moment, my wife and I are both earning and can afford to pay the council tax of £144 per month, up from £112 per month last year. However, she is pregnant and in a few months time we will have an extra mouth and half the income. Then the council tax will be difficult to pay. I am amazed that, after the poll tax riots of 10 years ago, people are meekly accepting this.
Simon, London, UK

It's not just pensioners who are angry at paying a 19% increase in their council tax. In Southampton we have had a 16% and a 19% increase two years in a row, I can't say that I have seen any improvement in anything for that. All I do see are the roads being narrowed to make driving around more difficult and services for immigrants and students being improved - neither of which have paid anything! Inflation is at 3.2% how can my council justify a 19% council tax increase?
Chris Weston, England

No people should not refuse to pay the council tax but ask questions where the money is being spent and where money could be saved. For example: reduce the number of councillors for starters. New technology is always reducing jobs in every other sector of the country. So why not them?
Reg Heaton, England

My council tax has gone up by £10 per month - due to the increase in national insurance, my salary has gone down by £6 per month. Result - my overdraft increases by £16 per month and I have nothing to show for it. I do not go to school nor do I have any children who do, the police are not interested should you call them, bins will remain unemptied for weeks on end, and street lights remain faulty 6 months later - where is my money going?
Sarah, UK

Local tax should have been scrapped decades ago

Dave Hitchman, England

It is more than time that a concerted effort was made to prevent this annual tax hike. Every year for as long as I can remember local rates, poll tax and now council tax has risen by orders of magnitude more than inflation, and services have been cut. This can't go on. In my opinion local tax should have been scrapped decades ago and replaced with a per capita funding from central government, cheaper and fairer.
Dave Hitchman, England

As a 52 year-old it concerns me that 30 years ago the rates bill on an average house was around £50 a year - this is now £1,000 in my local area. In 30 years time, when I am in my 80s, must I anticipate a further 20 fold increase, and an annual charge of £20,000 - £400 a week, when my private pension has collapsed and the state pension will be worthless? An alternative must be adopted.
Neil Moody, UK

Well done and good luck to the protesters, the Council tax has got way out of hand with no control from the people who have to pay it, if like here in E.Sussex and Hastings the money is wasted away on unnecessary "traffic calming" and other quite frivolous projects then its time to say NO.
M.D.McIver, England

If the community charge had not been scrapped, local tax payers would possibly be facing less of an individual burden

E Price, England

It is sad that, if the community charge had not been scrapped, local tax payers would possibly be facing less of an individual burden. It was actually a fairer tax. Also, in the present system it is so unfair that someone living in a property costing many millions with several acres of land pays no more than some pensioners living in their family houses no bigger than a four bedroom detached. Areas in the South East which have large numbers of these mansions, will find that the lower band taxpayers are subsidising the wealthy owners. The government has no plans to address this inequity in the near future.
E Price, England

I totally agree with anyone who boycotts the council tax - especially if they live in the south! I live in Westminster, which is one of the best-run councils in London. Basically, nothing can be improved, so why has my council tax gone up by 28%?
Sue Hudson, London, England

People are quite right to feel aggrieved at these increases, with inflation at an all time low, double figure tax rises are inexcusable. The public sector should be expected to manage with an inflation based increase as any commercial company does.
Al, UK

We need a fresh system for financing local government spending. The councils need to be told how much they can spend. The idea of spend what you like and toss the bill to the rate payers has had its day. The tax base needs to be widened beyond just property owners. Bricks and mortar do not use services; people do and if they want all these services they should foot the bill through taxation. I am paying instalments at the new rate for now (up 15%). I can always stop later. Regards, Doug Gibbons.
Douglas Gibbons, England

I think these pensioners are doing exactly the right thing

James, UK

I think these pensioners are doing exactly the right thing. Council tax is being put up because local authorities are being starved of money by a heavy-handed government, and this is their only recourse if services are to be kept going. Local services should instead be funded by an increase in corporation tax (laughably low at present) and the higher rate of income tax. Things would also be helped by making income tax more progressive, increasing the number of bands - at present the richer elements of the country are not being called upon to do their bit for the good of everyone. Tax the rich, not the poor, and tax their earnings, not their houses.
James, UK

These annual "above inflation" rises are becoming a serious problem. My council tax has doubled in the last four years, and each hike has a far greater effect on my standard of living than any tax increase imposed by the Chancellor in his annual Budget. Just because the Chancellor does not agree these increases does not mean the Government can ignore or wash its hands of the problem. This is a serious issue and it needs to be addressed before we see public discontent and non co-operation on the scale of the Poll Tax debacle.
Dan, UK

Abolish Council Tax. Put 1% on Income Tax and have the Inland Revenue send the money direct to the taxpayers' Local Authority. Saves council money on collection, makes it harder to evade, and is fair because it is proportionate to income & ability to pay.
Phil, England

I would like to make the following points. - In 1994 my council tax (band E) was £576.89 and the basic pension £57.60 per week. It therefore required 10wks pension to pay the council tax. In 2003 the equivalent figures are - Tax £1,189.21 and pension £77.49 now requiring 15wks pension to meet council tax bills. If over the next 10yrs these figures are increased at the same rate as the last 10yrs my council tax will be £2,449.00 and the pension increased to £103.78 per week, it will require 23wks pension to meet the council bill. There are around ten million pensioners all of whom have the vote, all it needs is for us to be organised.
Ray Hodgkin, England

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