IT'S not always easy these days for the ordinary person to make ends meet. In many households, it seems that the money goes out as quickly as it comes in.

One of the biggest demands on the family budget these days is council tax. Like many taxes, it is a system that has provoked much antagonism across the country.

The recent highly-publicised cases of pensioners being jailed in protest may indeed be the beginnings of a groundswell of a growing anger.

However, the martyrs of this grey rebellion would seem to have very little in common with the defaulters who, thanks to their refusal to pay, have landed us all with a huge problem.

We make no apology for the use of this pronoun. For it is "us" who will ultimately pick up the tab for those who have led to a staggering £4.5m in uncollected tax money.

Let's be clear about this. These people are merely debtors who don't fancy coughing up the cash.

This newspaper very much doubts whether there are lofty ideals being observed here. We have not seen crowds of protesters, waving banners outside council offices, nor have we been called to send reporters to observe highly-principled souls chaining themselves to the railings.

When people have problems paying bills, there are agencies that can advise. The fact that Worcester City Council is considering bankruptcy procedures would suggest that this issue is not about poverty.

The council must take action. If it doesn't, bills may rise even more, with dutiful citizens picking up the tab for their less honest neighbours.