ONE must sympathise with Christopher H Jones (Letters, March 20) with his 21 per cent council tax increase of £394.57 against a 2.6 per cent rise on the pension.

Being in a similar position, we were absolutely delighted today to receive details of our pensions for 2017. As it happens my wife and myself will both be 80 this year and therefore receive an additional payment of £0.25 each week. Saving it for 13 years would just about cover the extra council tax for one year but we think we will just save it up for six weeks at a time and have a cappuccino.

John Spence,

32 Commonhead Street,

Airdrie.

I COULD not agree more with Christopher H Jones regarding the unfairness of recent council tax rises.

I have been subjected to an almost 25 per cent rise to an already high council tax bill despite living in a relatively-modest two-bedroom flat in Glasgow City Centre. Imagine my astonishment to read in this very newspaper Stewart Hosie of the SNP attacking the recent proposed rises in National Insurance contributions as a "scandalous attack on aspiration" (“Tax rise for self-employed is branded an attack on aspiration”, The Herald, March 9). Pot and kettle spring to mind.

Craig Cummine,

6 Dunblane Street,

Glasgow.