Council Tax

Veryskint

The familes deployment pack says that we will get a council tax rebate (set sum of £140) and to contact the regt for details. This I did and they referred me to my local council tax office, as we do not live on camp but in our own home.
The council advised that the rebate is discretionary, a decision to be made by each council as to whether they grant it or not. My council decided not to grant it.
I wrote to my MP as I was getting pretty ticked off with this, it is not an enormous sum, but £140 is £140. I got a quick reply from his office, with a really clear document that advises what the rebate is and where it comes from. Success!!
This is not actually a council tax rebate, but is a sum to be granted by the MOD in recognition of the fact that you are paying full council tax when really it is just wife and kids in the house for 6 months (if hubby left me or went to prison we would get a council tax rebate, if he goes to Afghanistan we don't).
It is a set sum and is to be given by the MOD not the council.
So now I have these details I have passed them onto my welfare office and am waiting to see what the response is.
The documentation is from the House of Commons and quotes MOD sources, so I don't anticipate any problems, but with the Army, you never know!!

Happy to share the document in PM to anyone else having problems with the same issue.

hiya_love

Dont know if this helps at all......right I pay single rate of council tax for when my OH is away BUT he is still on the electoral roll for the property so that it doesnt mess up his credit rating etc. As I say this is his correspondence address whilst he is on deployment which it is.

MzFitz

Timely - my OH went to Afghanistan yesterday and I wrote to my council on Wednesday - as always, should have looked here first!
£140, eh? Presume this applies to TA too, under the "one Army" blah blah.

CIS

Dont know if this helps at all......right I pay single rate of council tax for when my OH is away BUT he is still on the electoral roll for the property so that it doesnt mess up his credit rating etc. As I say this is his correspondence address whilst he is on deployment which it is.

You shouldn't do - his sole or main residence hasn't changed so no single person discount is applicable.

helsee

hiya_love wrote: »

Dont know if this helps at all......right I pay single rate of council tax for when my OH is away BUT he is still on the electoral roll for the property so that it doesnt mess up his credit rating etc. As I say this is his correspondence address whilst he is on deployment which it is.

if someone looked at this couldnt it be fraud?

CIS

Council Tax prosecutions are usually made under the theft act, its very rare that prosecutions are undertaken and I would be very suprised if one happened becase of a mis-claimed single person discount.

Veryskint

Well we oughtn't to be claiming single person discount but instead should be getting this from the MOD. Then there is no issue with the council tax.

The MOD however are not that clued up, ie my welfare office referred me to the council then when I got a letter from the House of Commons advising that the MOD are comitted to pay this, the regiment advised me that this was for personnel living in army housing only - after pushing and pushing I have been advised I will get it.

So those entitled to it (and that is all serving militaary personnel, that pay UK council tax, that serve overseas for 6months or more) may need to push hard to get it, but they ought to get it. It is to be paid into their payslips upon their return from tour.

I am claiming for his 07/08 tour as well, they advised that they thought that there was a time limit but as I didnt get it last time cos they told me we weren't eligible, I dont think the time limit can be used against me.

I live in hope.

EmmEve

you don't have to be overseas for more than 6 mths. My dh got a rebate last yr after being on operations for 4.5 mths. It was paid over automatically.

Veryskint

This is the exact wording, and it doesn't refer to 6m, you are right.

Troops who pay Council Tax for a property in the UK or Contributions in Lieu of Council Tax for Service Family Accommodation will receive financial support through a relief payment, based on the number of days in theatre, and worth some £140 over a six-month tour. The extension of the scheme will be effective from 1 April 2008, with payments backdated to 1 February 2008.

krustychops

Hi Guys
Please forgive me as i am new to this site and probably posted incorrectly.
Can anyone help please
In December 2009 i moved into our new home. We recieved a council tax bill in February from the period 1st Dec 2009 to March 2010 for a sum of £620. I called up in Feb and payed off £100 (as i am quite strapped at the moment) i was then told that i would be issued a new bill. On Friday i recieved the new bill minus the £100 and told that i must pay the £520 within 7 days. Also i have recieved my 2010 bill from April through to Jan and they want my first payment of £189 paid by the 1st of April.
I thought that you didnt pay council Tax between Jan to Mar is this correct????
Also will i be able to pay my Dec to March bill in installments monthly preferably????
Thanks in advance for your replies
K