low wage yet still dont qualify for council tax benefit

missminx007

Ive just done a calculator and despite my husband earning approx 10-12000 this year and having a wife and daughter to support we still dont qualify for council tax benefit. Does anyone know why this is, its a massive amount to have to fid every month. Would it be because we have a part rent part buy property?

alexandra_cmpbll

Hi, I earn less than that and have two children. ok, one has recently turned 18, and the other is 13 and all i got, up until my son turned 18 was a single persons discount. when he turned 18 this stopped, pushing the council tax bill up by a considerable amount, even although my son cannot find a job and gets job seekers allowance! I dont think its got anything to do with part buying/part renting your home, its based on your income. Folk on incapacity benefit/employment support allowance still have to pay something albeit, water rates here in scotland. Im all for paying it but i think they could find a fairer way of determining rebates in line with income. How is it fair, that the couple across the road from me who have well paid jobs and work full time and have no children, stay in the exact same size, stlyle of flat as me pay the same as me for council tax... I work part time, earning not much more than the minimum wage and have two children to support. I dont understand how they expect the current system to work, when it is clearly flawed and very unfair. thats just my opinion mind you.....:)

coffeeandfags

I totally agree with you Alexandra, its all so unfair.
My neighbours have 5 over-18s in the house, so £1000 between 5 = £200 each.
I, however, have to find £750 on my own.

The old Poll Tax was fairer than this!!!

BTW O.P. , i earn quite a bit less than your DH, and i only get the 25% single persons discount. No other rebate.

alexandra_cmpbll

Hello coffee and fags Thanks for replying. The current rebate system is very unfair. Like i said, im all for paying for local services, but please make it at an amount i can pay in line with my earnings! dont leave me that Im working to pay council tax , as is happening at present:(

coffeeandfags

It would be helpful if they let you spread it over 12 months instead of 10, but we all know what happens if you are not fully paid after 10 months :rotfl:, its not worth it!!

Nothing would stop me going out to work, even if i am just over NMW, but you can certainly see why single parents wouldnt want to work!! They are probably better off ...... financially ...... than those of us who do work!!

alexandra_cmpbll

What can I say too that .....apart from I agree 100 per cent. :T

missminx007

its ridiculous isnt it. We are due another baby in June so I'm wondering if we would be better off renting off the council. After rent and service charges have been applied to the property we are in at the moment its so much money. Does anyone know if we would be able to claim housing benefit if we did rent off the council.

alexandra_cmpbll

Hi, Again, it depends on your earnings. You,ll be lucky if your in an area that your council have any properties available for rent. Here in Scotland, there are no council properties The only options you have here are either to buy, if you can afford to and can get a mortgage OR get a private rent, which are very expensive Or sleep on the streets with the children. very, very sad isnt it? x

Caz3121

Although the income is low, I am assuming that you also receive child tax/working tax credits and these will be included in the calculations of income

merlin68

From April council rents for new tennants will be 80% of market values so no you won't be any better of. The average council has about a 5 year waiting list. Housing benefit is always done on your income, so being in a council property wouldn't make any difference.

SingleSue

coffeeandfags wrote: »

It would be helpful if they let you spread it over 12 months instead of 10, but we all know what happens if you are not fully paid after 10 months :rotfl:, its not worth it!!

Nothing would stop me going out to work, even if i am just over NMW, but you can certainly see why single parents wouldnt want to work!! They are probably better off ...... financially ...... than those of us who do work!!

Not all single parents are out of work, there are a fair few of them who do actually work and pay the bills like everyone else.

And I was better off as part of a married and working couple.....