Me or my Mum?

drunknmunky

Evening all,

I am 26 and currently live at home with my mum who is 54. At the moment, the phone/gas/electric/sky bills are under my name and come out of my bank account. What I am planning to do is change the TV Liscense, Council Tax, and Water biils into my name and use my bank account aswell.

Now I know the TV Liscense comes down in price when you reach 60, what I am unsure of is whether we could get the discount if we keep it in my mums name as she is fairly close to 60, and just use my bank account to take money from?

Also, are there any reduced rates for over 50's in terms of paying council tax or water bills? or should I just go ahead and change the bills into my name instead?

Any ideas much appreciated...

seven-day-weekend

I think you have to be 75 before you get a reduction on TV license....?

No reduced rates for over 50s on the other bills either (unless they are entitled to Council Tax Benefit, which I doubt your mum would be if you are living with her).

At least if there are I missed them.

hopingforahouse

Is she disabled or in some other way unable to work? Some utility compnaies offer discounts etc to these groups in the same way they offer pensioner rates?

Ted_Hutchinson

The house contents and buildings insurance should be in your mum's name. They will be cheaper for older people. You can still be named on the insurance but if the policy is in your mum's name it will cost you less for the same cover. (older people are thought to be more honest and less likely to claim)

Stompa

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/gethelp/faqs.jsp?question=3#link3

margaretclare

You're a bit misinformed about cheaper TV licence at age 60. There's no difference at all. When you reach 75 you can get TV licence free, but up to then, it's just the same.

Margaret

jennifernil

Even if you put the TV licence in your name now there will be no problem getting it free once your mum is 75, but that is a long time away!

drunknmunky

Thanks for all the info everyone.
..looks like there will be more bills coming my way..!

Savvy_Sue

consider that your mum might in the future need to provide proof of address, and utility bills are sometimes required in addition to or instead of bank statements.

Also, if the bill is in your sole name, then the utility company will not (certainly should not!) discuss anything with your mother, should there be a problem. She could of course impersonate you, but I couldn't possibly recommend that!

My suggestion would be bills in joint names. Who pays them won't matter, they can still come out of your account. It does mean that you are BOTH liable, so that if you run off with the milkman your mum will still have to pay, and vice versa. But it also means that if either of you is away, or incapacitated, then the other can phone the gas people if the supply is cut off or anything like that.

Does that make sense? We have a couple of credit cards in a sole name, and it's a right pain in the posterior if there's ever a query on the bill, because DH finds it hard to find time to phone up and pursue it, but of course they can't talk to me!

jennifernil

That is a very good point!! I have exactly the same problem.

Mrs_pbradley936

We have two credit cards one in my name with husband as additional card holder and vice versa because credit cards are not allowed to be given in joint names - wll at least that is what Barclaycard told me. That way if my husband runs up a debt I have to pay it because the card is in my name and I can say who gets a card to use on the account. My card limit is £8000 and I tried to get my son a card but with a lower limit but they said no. If he has a card he has my limit because it is my responsiblity. I did not get him a card!