Council Tax Support Query (My head hurts!!)

s79

Hi everyone I was hoping someone could give me some advice with regards to Council tax and council tax support.

I've always had my head in the sand about bills and whathaveyou (in fact writing this is genuinely giving me a headache! :huh:) but im determined to get on top of things especially as now i have to keep much tighter control of costs.

Anyway this is my situation - I am 30-something and I live in my parents house with my mum (stupid housing market!), not sure what council tax band were in, but its a modest 3-bed terrace worth approx 115-120k in a large East Midlands town. We pay around the £90 pm mark on council tax i think.

My mum has been unemployed since summer 2009. She is also registered disabled. My dad passed away in 2005.

I have recently also become employed, of my own accord - not redundancy (long story but I was kind of forced to quit).

My mum is on Employment Support Allowance and also gets disablity living allowance, which i belive is at the higher rate (but not the absolute highest rate - i think)

I actually pay the council tax bill myself on behalf of my mum (i.e comes out of my banks direct debit) but as far as i can tell im not registered to pay council tax myself as i've always lived at my folks, does that sound right?

So what i want to know is this:

Can we/my mum claim for council tax benefit?

Please note my mum was eleigible for working tax credits whilst she was working as her salary was low. But also we both have savings over 16k, is that an issue??

And secondly can we/she back claim, i.e. get back any money owed because my mum was unemployed since 2009? Or even before that because she was on working tax credits?

Thirdly and less importantly - what is my situation, should i be registered to pay council tax? Is there benefit for me to do this? I always worried they might increase council tax bill if i mentioned I was working and on fairly ok wage. But obviously now im not working this sitaution has changed.

Thanks in advance.

p.s. i have a similar question to ask with reagrds to electricity/gas bills and help we can get with that, but i'll start a new thread for that

MrsManda

I don't think you'll be able to claim CTB as you both have savings over £16k. It 'may' be possible to claim Second Adult Rebate but I suggest you speak to your local council's council tax advisor as they're usually quite good at working out what you are entitled to and you can fill out the forms with them which makes processing quicker.

Who isn't eligible?

If you have savings of over £16,000 you can't normally get Council Tax Benefit, unless you're getting the 'guarantee credit' of Pension Credit.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_10018923

Does your house have any adaptations for your mother due to her disabilities?
If so, she may be entitled to a CT reduction:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/FinancialSupport/Taxreliefandreductions/DG_10026451

shellsuit

If you (not counting your Mother) have thousands of pounds in savings (around 50K going by another thread just before Christmas), why would you need help with council tax, gas and elec?

That might come across as rude, but I genuinely don't mean to be, I just don't understand how you could possibly need help to pay these bills if you have thousands of pounds?

s79

Many thanks MrsManda. Yes there adapations to the house, but more in the form of grab bars in the bathroom, toilet, front door and stairs (she has difficulty walking), but reading the link im not sure that counts?

No offence taken shellsuit, its a valid point, but im just trying to establish what the situation is because a) it all seems a bit complicated and b) because i dont intend to carry on living with my mum forever, and also if she is/was entitled to some kind of help shouldnt I try and claim on her behalf? Thats all im trying to do. And I really hate to say it but it feels like everyone else is milking/maximising the system to a degree. My family is in that group of low income familys who have always worked, saved hard, paid their taxes but basically stuggled, whereas there are there are those who havent but perversley seem far better off. I dont want to sound bitter but...i guess i do. Obviously i have a duty to look after my mum too, but my savings are primarliy for a house deposit too. Anyway I do respect your point but dont wont to go off on tangent too much, i was just trying to get info about eligibility & possible help that was all.

shellsuit

s79 wrote: »

Many thanks MrsManda. Yes there adapations to the house, but more in the form of grab bars in the bathroom, toilet, front door and stairs (she has difficulty walking), but reading the link im not sure that counts?

No offence taken shellsuit, its a valid point, but im just trying to establish what the situation is because a) it all seems a bit complicated and b) because i dont intend to carry on living with my mum forever, and also if she is/was entitled to some kind of help shouldnt I try and claim on her behalf? Thats all im trying to do. And I really hate to say it but it feels like everyone else is milking/maximising the system to a degree. My family is in that group of low income familys who have always worked, saved hard, paid their taxes but basically stuggled, whereas there are there are those who havent but perversley seem far better off. I dont want to sound bitter but...i guess i do. Obviously i have a duty to look after my mum too, but my savings are primarliy for a house deposit too. Anyway I do respect your point but dont wont to go off on tangent too much, i was just trying to get info about eligibility & possible help that was all.

Ahh thank you for not taking offence at my question

I'd try the links in the other post to see if she would be able to claim, but I very much doubt it.

Same with the gas and elec, if they are a problem, then the only thing is to have prepayment meters fitted.

pandaspot

You wouldn't be entitled to ctb or a second adult rebate.

Second adult rebate is assessed the same way as ctb as having savings of over £16k means your capital is too high.

fluffymovie

Hi pandaspot, I would respectfully disagree as it is the gross income of the second adult that is considered for 2AR. Tariff income doesn't apply and so the £16k wouldn't be an issue as it would for the claimant.

OP - as the property is your mum's, if she is the owner, you can't be put on the Ctax account. Were to you be, you would be considered jointly and severally liable and so any payments owed could be sought from either of you. However, there is a hierachy of liability and so your mum would be the first person to be made liable. if she moved out, you may then be made liable and so on. CIS is an expert on all things Ctax and I am sure he will be along in a little while to advise!

If your mum does go down the route of making a claim for 2nd adult rebate, she can ask for it to be backdated but would need to give good reasons as to why she didn't apply before. Unfortunately, what is termed 'ignorance' of the benefit scheme (not knowing about it) wouldn't be considered sufficient but she can but try.

CIS

Anyway this is my situation - I am 30-something and I live in my parents house with my mum (stupid housing market!), not sure what council tax band were in, but its a modest 3-bed terrace worth approx 115-120k in a large East Midlands town. We pay around the £90 pm mark on council tax i think.

Your mother is the owner and therefore liable for any council tax due. Any Council Tax Benefit claim has to be made by your mother.

Thirdly and less importantly - what is my situation, should i be registered to pay council tax? Is there benefit for me to do this? I always worried they might increase council tax bill if i mentioned I was working and on fairly ok wage. But obviously now im not working this sitaution has changed.

Your mother should declare the council that you are resident so that you can be taken in to account when any council tax benefit and/or council tax discounts are calculated.