Real life MMD: Is the council tax bill mine?

scooter9

As you are on benefits you are not liable for council tax. No mater what they say. If they have a problem, tell to contact the council tax office to see where they stand and DWP(Better from the horses mouth)
Make sure you are not getting housing benefit, as the DWP take living with family as a benefit, and do not usually pay your rent. Even if they are on benefits (I had this problem)
It has not increased their Council tax!

ShaneUK

Pay your part. However - if they want to play it like that, they then each do a third of the housework as well. Therefore, you only have to do one third as well!

caddy_carazy

What a winger, no job, drawing money off the state, getting council benefits, paid for out of her brothers tax's, their good enough to give her a roof over her head, shes using all their services and shes still moaning. If she can avoid paying council tax if she lived on her own, well, what are you waiting for? go live on your own! then shed see what the cost of living means for the rest of us.

Ebenezer_Screwj

Your brothers are working and therefore pay income tax, which is where your benefits derive from. You should be paying a third of all household bills from this money.

Beate

God, how horrible some people are. I lived with someone who was on housing and council tax benefit. I would not have dreamed of charging them a penny of the reduced council tax bill, why would I? Someone without a job is struggling enough to get by, the council allows them certain benefits, who am I to take it away from them and say they should pay an equal share? The rent was getting paid, the utility bills were getting paid, and the council tax bill was reduced. Where is the problem? And I was not even related to that person, now fancy brothers not wanting to help out each other when someone's in a sticky patch. Geez. It's not like they are losing money, and you are obviously helping around the house, what more can they want?

madreddog

Interesting to see how some contributors have assumed you are female though it was not stated in the original script!
You are fortunate in that you have got relatives you've been able to turn to, there are many who don't have that option and are left to struggle on by themselves.
Regardless of what your brothers claim you should be paying your share of, its about time someone reminded them of their family values and responsibilities.
Having a dependant relative in my house who is on benefits themselves, I know how little the government expects them to survive on and how much of a balancing act it is for them to string out their meagre allowance until the next payout.
I do not ask for any financial contribution to the household, nor would I ever consider it. They choose to contribute by undertaking more than their share of household chores, without ever having been asked and we all get along fine. That's what families are all about!
In the grand scheme of things there's always the possibility that one day the boot will be on the other foot and, should that change of circumstance come about, I know the family will come together and support the less fortunate member until life improves. Even if the situation never changes I will never feel I missed out on anything as a consequence of providing for my family.
Finally, what your brothers are doing by making these demands of you is both unfair and unkind. Loading you with guilt and stress at a time when you could really do with a lot of support is just not the done thing and they should be ashamed of their mean-minded attitude. Two blokes bringing a wage into one house and someone to tidy the house, clean, cook, wash & iron and generally make their lives easier should realise how lucky they are to be living the life of Riley.

jdbigguy

Most of the people who have replied so far clearly don't understand the benefit system and some of them are just plain stupid. Your brothers have already had your contribution from the council. As you are on benefits the council will have reduced the council tax bill by your portion, so your brothers are not paying anything for you.

robberrob

Get the tax reduced if you can by all means, but they gave you a home when you were stuck and you should pay your share with GOOD GRACE
Just think of the alternatives - Yes you would save the council tax but living by yourself is not much fun - and it is expensive
Robber Rob

Arandorastar

jrdunn is right but making a big assumption, which is that the Council is aware that a member of the household qualifies for 100% Council Tax Benefit. If not the brothers or sister (if the OP is a female) should go to the Council's Benefit Office and seek absolute clarification of the Council Tax position in the individual circumstances of the household. That will resolve legal situation as to the split between the 3 parties. If the OP is absolved from her share, the brothers would pay less than they would if she wasn't living there. It shouldn't matter that technically the State is paying her share until such time as she moves out or falls out of benefit. There but the Grace of God and a perhaps less generous in the future Benefits system go the rest of us!
Would the brothers (and others who've contributed to this topic) prefer the return of the hated Poll Tax so that "every" adult in a household was liable for their own share? Oh, some memories are short!!!:)

gaily

Arandorastar wrote: »

Would the brothers (and others who've contributed to this topic) prefer the return of the hated Poll Tax so that "every" adult in a household was liable for their own share? Oh, some memories are short!!!:)

I'm glad I am too young to remember that particular nightmare!!!!

that was definately the nail that sealed the coffin on Maggie's days at No 10!!