Council Tax - Unjust?

Alleycat

Clarab, she should be entitled to it then. I am pretty sure that a life insurance policy would not affect it as my MIL has one and it has not been an issue. My MIL receives £114 per week which is made up of a few hours work, state pension and pension credit.

I assume the rules are not different in Scotland?

clarab_3

Alleycat wrote:

Clarab, she should be entitled to it then. I am pretty sure that a life insurance policy would not affect it as my MIL has one and it has not been an issue. My MIL receives £114 per week which is made up of a few hours work, state pension and pension credit.

I assume the rules are not different in Scotland?

I really don't know - she did have an assesor out from the council so I kind of assumed they'd be right? Certainly worth looking into - thanks!

Alleycat

Are you sure she doesn't have any savings, shares etc? It might be that its not something she really thinks about but when it was mentioned by the Assessor she gave them the details?

If not, I am flumoxed!

kittiwoz

What I think is really unfair about the council tax is you can be taxed based on the value of someone elses asset. I share a rented house with five other students. When I was between courses in the Summer I had to pay the council tax on the house with only a 25% discount. Surely that is ridiculously unfair when not only do I not own or benefit from the equity in the house but I couldn't even near afford the rent on the whole of it.

Also when I rang up the council tax people and asked about claiming council tax benefit they said I could not claim it unless I was in receipt of JSA or other benefits which I now gather was a lie.

oscar52

I was under the impression (from when i was at uni) student houses were exempt from council tax, and it was the the owner of the propert that had to pay. Infact I thought students were exempt from council tax full stop - they dont have an income to pay it with.

I also remember the same group of students having problems with TV licences - they were told they ALL needed one, students replied they rented the house between them and not a room - students won.

kittiwoz

I had to pay for the Summer between finishing a degree and starting a masters course because I wasn't a student for those months. Similarly now two of my housemates have left uni and are working and they are liable between them for council tax on the whole of the house although they only pay rent on 1/6th of it each and similarly could not afford rent the house outright let alone to own it.