low wage yet still dont qualify for council tax benefit

Jowo_2

missminx007 wrote: »

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?

Benefits is a really complex area with over 51 different types of allowances, credits and benefits, many with complex inter-dependencies.

Salary alone is not the sole driver, it will be your overall income for your size/type of family, plus many other factors.

My understanding is that Housing benefit, for example, is only payable on the rent portion of a part rent/part buy property so it could be a factor that makes things more expensive for you. You can model these scenarios on the Entitled To calculator (i.e. difference between fully renting and part buying) to determine if it's a factor.

So in addition to the salary, what tax credits, housing benefit and any other benefits does your household receive per annum?

Jowo_2

merlin68 wrote: »

From April council rents for new tennants will be 80% of market values so no you won't be any better of. .

I believe that the regulations mean that social housing landlords have more discretion around the level of rents they charge to new tenants so this isn't a blanket policy.

Indie_Kid

alexandra_cmpbll wrote: »

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!

Ask about second adult rebate. Someone who isn't your partner (ie, your adult son) and who is on a low income may qualify. For someone on JSA, the deduction is 25%.

fluffymovie

Ctb is based on household income so tax credits are taken into account.

The idea if tax credits is to reduce need for other benefits and I often see claimants who get tc and no ctb.
As on a shared ownership property, you can also apply for housing benefit?

Best thing is to make a claim and let a qualified benefit officer assess it as websites only give an idea

beecher2

alexandra_cmpbll wrote: »

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

Social housing does exist in Scotland - I find it bizarre that you'd think there are no council houses! There are also housing association and co-operative properties so to state that Scotland has no social housing is widely inaccurate.

alexandra_cmpbll

@ beecher 2. Folks, im not trying to derail the thread here, i just want to reply to beecher. Where I am in Scotland, North lanarkshire to be precise, there is a dire shortage of social rented housing,council housing or ANY affordable housing. The area you stay in obviously does not have a dire shortage of housing. I apologise if you think I am widely inaccurate.

coffeeandfags

SingleSue wrote: »

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.....

LOL, didnt mean to cause any confusion, but i AM a single parent
What i was saying was, im little better off working than not working. But only financially

km2010

alexandra_cmpbll wrote: »

@ beecher 2. Folks, im not trying to derail the thread here, i just want to reply to beecher. Where I am in Scotland, North lanarkshire to be precise, there is a dire shortage of social rented housing,council housing or ANY affordable housing. The area you stay in obviously does not have a dire shortage of housing. I apologise if you think I am widely inaccurate.

i think you are exaggerating an inaccurate to the housing situation, i have friends & family in north lanarkshire and all live in council housing. i doubt very much anyone would have to sleep on the streets with kids.

Aarons_mummy

km2010 wrote: »

i think you are exaggerating an inaccurate to the housing situation, i have friends & family in north lanarkshire and all live in council housing. i doubt very much anyone would have to sleep on the streets with kids.

They would be put into a hotel/B&B until a temporary/homeless let becomes available. You're left there until a suitable property comes up and you're picked from the bidding system.

8 months in temp accomodation and on the highest priority for housing and I have yet to be rehoused, there is a massive shortage of houses in comparison to the amount of people trying to obtain one.

alexandra_cmpbll

KM 2010, your family are all extremely lucky to have council housing in north lanarkshire.