Help with Council Tax Benefit I'm Really Baffled!!

tortmad

Hi

I live with my disabled elderly father and two sons. We receive approximate. £50 a month council tax rebate. I work part time and care for my father, with the help of my sons. My eldest son is due to start uni this year and my youngest son, who is 18, just completed a training course and is looking for a January start college course.

My problem is this, I informed Council Tax Benefit office of everything my youngest son was doing and the money he was receiving. When he completed the training course I informed them of this as well. I received a letter from them asking me what my youngest son was doing and any income he receives. I phoned them and they said he needs to claim jobseekers allowance and I said that he is reluctant to claim jobseekers allowance as he is looking for a college course. They said to put it in writing which I did. They sent me another letter saying that if he hasn't claimed job seekers allowance by 19th of this month then they are suspending our rebate.

I find this really strange. I will not encourage my son to claim jobseekers allowance as I know what he is like - I know that if he starts getting money paid into his account for free (thats how he will see it) then he will be quite happy to sit back and do nothing with his life and take handouts. I want him to get an education and do something with his life. He has some of his own money that he saved from his training course payments he received as he knew he would have a few months before he could start college. Also how can he claim jobseekers allowance if he is not looking for work?

Why is this not acceptable to the council tax office - I find this really strange! I am at the point where I am going to tell them to cancel the rebate as I am sick of having to jump through hoops for £50 a month.

Could someone explain how this works as I am really baffled by it.

Thank you.

nannytone_2

if an adult child ( a non dependant) is not in education and not on a training course and not claiming benefits ... he will be treated as if he is working, and so a deduction of council tax benefit will be made accordingly
i understand your position, but look at it from their point of view...
anyone with an adult child living with them could claim to same thing in order to maximise the amount of council tax benefit.

Richard1075

You are lucky that £50.00 per month is of such a low importance to you! Some people need every single penny!

tortmad

I see what you mean Nannytone. I didn't think about it like that.

Richard - £50 is a lot of money to me. You don't know the hassle I have had from these people over the past few years. Every year I send them everything they ask for, payslips, letters. They send a letter give you a date to reply which is usually a month and then a week later they are at the door. My dad is elderly and disabled and he gets really stressed when someone calls at the door and I am not in. The last time they were quizzing my dad and then my son came home from college and they started quizzing him as well. It's disgraceful. I know that a lot of people claim fraudulently but i am certainly not one of them. I have told them repeatedly if they want to visit the house then fine but do it after 2.00 pm when I will be home, but they always call in the morning. I have had to leave work before to come home because they called and my dad was very upset and stressed. He doesn't cope with strangers in the house at the best of time but it is even worse when I am not here - I have told him not to answer the door but he always does.

This is why I am tempted to cancel the rebate not because I don't need it. Its just not worth the stress it causes my 83 year old dad. They think they can do what they like and I have just about had enough of it.

[Deleted User]

Richard1075 wrote: »

You are lucky that £50.00 per month is of such a low importance to you! Some people need every single penny!

and thats helpful in what way?

OP does anyone claim carers allowance?

Richard1075

woodbine wrote: »

and thats helpful in what way?

OP does anyone claim carers allowance?

It is helpful in the fact that if you really need the money you will put up with the hassle!

It is a means to an end! And quite a lucrative end as well that other tax payers are funding!

Emmzi

Get him to claim JSA and immediately give it to you for food and lodgings.

[Deleted User]

Richard1075 wrote: »

It is helpful in the fact that if you really need the money you will put up with the hassle!

It is a means to an end! And quite a lucrative end as well that other tax payers are funding!

but we dont come on this forum to judge whats right and whats wrong just to offer help if we can
i usually find that if you have nothing useful to say you should say nowt !

sunnyone

tortmad wrote: »

I see what you mean Nannytone. I didn't think about it like that.

Richard - £50 is a lot of money to me. You don't know the hassle I have had from these people over the past few years. Every year I send them everything they ask for, payslips, letters. They send a letter give you a date to reply which is usually a month and then a week later they are at the door. My dad is elderly and disabled and he gets really stressed when someone calls at the door and I am not in. The last time they were quizzing my dad and then my son came home from college and they started quizzing him as well. It's disgraceful. I know that a lot of people claim fraudulently but i am certainly not one of them. I have told them repeatedly if they want to visit the house then fine but do it after 2.00 pm when I will be home, but they always call in the morning. I have had to leave work before to come home because they called and my dad was very upset and stressed. He doesn't cope with strangers in the house at the best of time but it is even worse when I am not here - I have told him not to answer the door but he always does.

This is why I am tempted to cancel the rebate not because I don't need it. Its just not worth the stress it causes my 83 year old dad. They think they can do what they like and I have just about had enough of it.

Does your dad get DLA/AA for his disabilities?

Aytoun27

If your son claims JSA, but states honestly on the forms that he isn't looking for work (as you say in your first post) his claim will be refused anyway. I'm not sure where that will leave you with the council tax people. Maybe someone with more knowledge than me can advise you.

puddy

my knowledge may be out of date, i worked in hb/ctb over 10 years ago, however at that time if a non dependent was on a claim but not receiving benefits and not in education we would treat them as working and input a default income of £999.99pw. this caused a lot of confusion as the calculation letters would go out with this information on them! it was just a nominal figure to make the system result in a full deduction for the non dependent

however, should someone write and say that they did not have any income, then that has to be taken as evidence of what income (or lack of) the person is receiving. it is standard form to assume that someone has undeclared income (otherwise why wouldnt they be claiming) but at the same time if that standard is challenged then you have to input zero for the non dependents income

however, if i were you i would get my son to claim, if only to get his NI paid which is important. you can get him to give your bank details as the bank account to which the benefit needs to be paid and then give him pocket money accordingly. he doesnt have to agree to this obviously!