Council Tax, paid to much

Bryando

I got a letter today to tell me a overpayment of Council Tax was given to me. I phoned about a Council Tax bill a week ago as the letter only had my name, thought it strange as parter also here.

Turns out that the form I had sent was not dealt with, had for housing benefit. Therefore as they did not act on the paper work, they've paid to much and will be taking money each week from Income Support.

Today they made me feel as if I was in the wrong, even thought they admit the same 1 form does for both Housing benefit and Council Tax. I was given the discount (single person) for CT and water/sewerage.

Can I request if the amount to be paid to be reduced each week if required? As currently paying Social fund and the loan when Income Support went from weekly to fortnight. Not sure if the amount can be reduced like Social Fund.

DWP don't know how much is to be taken off and council still working this out.
Thanks

CIS

The rate of deduction from Income Support for Council Tax Benefits is fixed at £3.30 p/w and cannot be varied. £3.30 p/w is generally the minimum payments that would be accepted in these circumstances and if the council have needed to issue an Attachment of Benefit to recover the money then its very unlikely the would withdraw it.

There is nothing however to stop you asking the council.

Bryando

Can understand the need to get the money back. I however am a tad annoyed at the fact they failed to act and therefore they are at fault, resulting in money being deducted weekly from my benefit.

CIS

As far as CTB is concerned then the onus is on the council tax payer to ensure it is correct.

Once the CTB has been re-claimed then a council tax bill, at least 1 reminder and a summons would be issued before the stage of the attachment of benefit could be reached.

Bryando

I got a letter today from the DWP saying that £3.30pw will be taking off. £112 is owed. If it was not for me phoning I would have only been made aware of this DWP letter.

Can I request that money is taking of weekly to go towards my current Council Tax bill? I know this can happen for Council Tax arrears.

CIS

Deductions from benefit cannot be made until a liability order as been granted for this years council tax.

thesnowdog

I've had continuing problems with my Council Tax for years, I've been waiting for around 3 years for my Council Tax Band to be reassessed. I only ever seem to get any sort of action taken when a court summons arrives and a friend of mine appears for me as I'm too ill to attend myself. My debt was originally over £12,000 through no fault of my own and thanks to my friend appearing in court for me explaining the situation it's now been reduced to less than £5,000. I'm expecting another court summons soon thanks to a mistake made by Haringey Council regarding my Council Tax Benefit. I was paying £5 per month. Someone moved into one of the other flats in my building and wrote down the wrong address in their Housing Benefit form, so they thought I'd moved out and stopped my Housing and Council Tax Benefits. After they realised the guy made a !!!!-up on the form they restarted paying my Council Tax benefit and I've fallen behind on a few payments...and they decided to threaten to take me to court for the incorrect amount. Not a bad thing by any means as I only get any sort of joy from the Council Tax Benefit people when I'm taken to court, going into the Benefit office makes absolutely no difference to anything at all. It's ridiculous really.