advice desperately needed self disclosure to the council tax benefit people

bundance

When I filled out my council tax application form I told them I had a mortgage.
Earlier this year they sent me a declaration which I foolishly didnt read properly, and it says I do not own any property. It warned me to read it properly, and says they may take legal action if information given is incorrect or incomplete.


Also for a short period of time in between june 06 and nov 07 I had more than the allowed £6000 savings.

If I go to the office on monday and self disclose, will they send me to prison, or will I just have to pay it back.

I have heard that they send pensioners to prison for not paying small amounts of council tax.

I am hysterical here with worry so would love some advice please.

Macro_3

Do you own a property other than the one you live in? If the property you are talking about is the one in which you live, then it (the capital in it) is disregarded.

If you let the LA know about your income exceeding 6k between those dates and provide evidence they will recalculate your claim and you will have to repay the overpaid benefit.

How much over 6k was it? Assuming that you are working age, a tarriff income will be taken at a rate of £1 for every £250 over the 6k limit you had. So for example, if you had £7000, they will assume a £4/week 'income'. That would reduce your benefit by 20p in the £, making an overpayment of 80p per week for every week you had the 7k. So the overpayment may actually be pretty small.

I think it is very, very very unlikely that you would be prosecuted.

alwaysonthego_2

I think that you should get advice before renewing benefits etc regarding your other posts.

The LA do not send people to prison unless they are being defiant. The pensioners you talk about refused to pay and wanted to go to prison to make a point. They were soon disappointed when a stranger paid their CT bill.

If you speak to them you may get an overpayment which you can arrange to pay back.

How much did you have in savings?

Macro_3

I've just had a look on your previous posts, and you seem to be worrying a great deal about various aspects of your benefit entitlements at the moment. Would it be worth taking your award letters etc to the CAB and asking for them to review everything you are getting and help you to sort it all out?

bundance

I dont own any other properties.

I can let them know but I dont have statements as it is a web saver account (with a lot less in it now)

Max 8500 at any one time

I am working age, but cannot work at the moment.
I thought I wouldnt be prosecuted, but why are they sending people to prison for not paying small amounts of council tax, this is whats worrying me.

Thank you for your help so far.

p.s. pm sent

bundance

alwaysonthego wrote: »

I think that you should get advice before renewing benefits etc regarding your other posts.

The LA do not send people to prison unless they are being defiant. The pensioners you talk about refused to pay and wanted to go to prison to make a point. They were soon disappointed when a stranger paid their CT bill.

If you speak to them you may get an overpayment which you can arrange to pay back.

How much did you have in savings?

I have mental illness but fill the forms out myself to try and be independant.
When you say I may get an overpayment, what if I dont?

bundance

Macro wrote: »

I've just had a look on your previous posts, and you seem to be worrying a great deal about various aspects of your benefit entitlements at the moment. Would it be worth taking your award letters etc to the CAB and asking for them to review everything you are getting and help you to sort it all out?

In future, maybe I should swallow my pride and get a CAB officer to help me.

alwaysonthego_2

bundance wrote: »

I have mental illness but fill the forms out myself to try and be independant.
When you say I may get an overpayment, what if I dont?

The CAB encourage their clients to be independent.

I said may get an overpayment, there are no guarantees you will!

bundance

alwaysonthego wrote: »

The CAB encourage their clients to be independent.

I said may get an overpayment, there are no guarantees you will!

What will be the alternative then please

please advise quickly cos I am crying my eyes out here

thank you

alwaysonthego_2

bundance wrote: »

What will be the alternative then please

please advise quickly cos I am crying my eyes out here

thank you

You will have an overpayment or you won't!

You are not going to prison.

As i have advised you in the pm, you should get medical advice from your GP or CPN as your mental illness seems to be peaking.

CIS

Your main home is disregarded as capital from Council Tax Benefit purposes however you do need to contact them and advise that you are a home owner in addition to advising regarding the amount of capital you have/had.

If you had £8500 in the bank then you were overpaid for that week by a maximum of around £2. (£2500/£250 *0.2 = )

I work in council tax recovery and we don't get a committal unless its a large debt and even then you have to prove wilful refusal or culpable neglect in not paying and have a magistrate who is willing to issue a sentence.