A father with a severe condition has been left facing sleepless nights after his council tax bill surged by nearly 200%. Kurzon Morris, 44, from Birkenhead, Wirral, said his monthly bill rose from £25 to £69.50 – a 176% increase – after the local authority cut a support scheme for low-income households.
Mr Morris and his wife both suffer from myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, which leaves him unable to work. The couple previously had their entire council tax subsidised under a Wirral Council reduction scheme. But in 2025, councillors – facing budget pressures – voted to raise the minimum contribution to 17.5% of the bill, and this year that threshold increased to 50%.
Mr Morris said the hike has outstripped cost-of-living increases to his disability benefits, forcing him to dip into funds meant for his electric scooter repairs. He may also have to cut back on medication that is difficult to obtain on the NHS. 'It keeps you up at night. It makes you feel completely vulnerable,' he said. 'If the boiler or oven breaks, I would have to go into debt to live.'
The father said he has to buy everything second-hand and has asked other parents for help to get his son a computer. 'It feels like they are kicking down rather than reaching up for money,' he added. 'Parts of the Wirral are one of the richest areas in the country, but it’s also got some of the poorest families.'
Wirral Council leader Cllr Paula Basnett said the decision was 'not taken lightly' but was necessary due to severe financial challenges. The council doubled a hardship fund, but Mr Morris said that would only help a little. 'When life is so hard, it’s just one extra thing on top of another,' he said. 'I am fed up.'
