make do and mend for tougher times

SpikyHedgehog

Byatt wrote: »

This is the draft consultation document for my council and CTB changes in April 2013. From Sept this year I will be entitled to 100% because of the huge drop in my income. Then from April I will have to find 30% of any CT no matter how low my income (or my DD's income) is.

A summary of our draft local Council Tax Support scheme

The draft local Council Tax Support Scheme for working age customers in E D is, in summary, the current Council Tax Benefit scheme with the following five changes:
Change one: everyone should pay something towards their Council tax
Currently we are able to help people on the lowest incomes by paying all of their Council Tax (100 per cent). Under the new Council Tax Support scheme, everyone of working age who now gets Council Tax Benefit would pay an extra 30 per cent of their full Council Tax. This would be on top of whatever level of Council Tax they are already paying. This means the maximum amount of Council Tax Support that could be claimed is reduced from 100 per cent to 70 per cent.
Change two: limit the amount of Council tax support to a Band D charge
Currently there are no restrictions on the amount of Council Tax Benefit that can be paid. This means that a person on a low income could get all their Council Tax paid even if they live in a large house in a high Council Tax band. The lowest band is an A, with the highest being an H. Change two would limit this to the Band D charge, which is the average band. So, if you live in a Band E, F, G or H property, we would reduce your Council Tax Support to that of a Band D householder.
Change three: reduce the savings limit from £16,000 to £3,000 for working-age people
At present, a person is not entitled to Council Tax Benefit if their savings and investments are £16,000 or above. This includes savings of a partner. Under change three, working-age people with savings and investments of £3,000 and above would not be entitled to any Council Tax Support
Change four: stop second adult rebate
Currently, Second Adult Rebate can apply when there is one person in a property who should pay Council Tax but they live with someone over the age of 18 on a low income (not a partner, lodger or tenant). Council Tax Benefit of up to 25 per cent can be given without the main person’s income being taken into account. Under change four, Second Adult Rebate would be abolished and Council Tax Support would only be considered by taking both incomes into account.
Change five: additional support for exceptional cases of hardship /vulnerability
Under our draft Council Tax Support scheme, this new fund would enable E D District Council to provide a ‘safety net’ to ensure that where there is exceptional need, up to 100 per cent relief can still be given. We recognise that the circumstances of some of our working-age customers mean that further help will be necessary and this is why we want to include this proposal.

Oh Byatt, its so scary. Keep records of everything you'll have to pay out & apply for their ' safety net'.

kidcat wrote: »

fuddle - poll tax was basically ( I wasnt that old so not an expert) the idea that instead of each house paying for council services, each person had to pay instead. Everyone became liable and I remember there were riots and people went to jail for non payment.
I am sure someone can give better picture than I can, I just remember the horror people had of it and the troubles at the time. My mum cried at the time as we simply could not pay.

Mum paid as she'd always paid the rates - dad, brother & I went to court. Scary!

kidcat wrote: »

angel Jenny it will impact anyone who does not pay full council tax, this includes single occupiers, our council is planning on reducing single person discount. But in Byatts they appear to be doing away with it entirely if I read correctly.

I read it as meaning that I would be ok at the moment with DS1 aged 16, but that when he's 18 & still at sixth form, I'd have to pay the full amount, if I were under Byatt's council.

kidcat

Yes spiky for Byatts council thats right, it must be my council that are removing it - I read that many papers its all blurred into one huge nightmare,

kidcat

Popperwell wrote: »

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/poor-families-lose-out-in-council-tax-benefit-cuts-8005962.html

http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/53138

The independant article points out that councils could choose to increase bills overall rather than cut benefit - will be interesting to see how many make that choice.

prepareathome

Knowing mine they will do both as they have already talked about raising it again because they do not have enough in the pot to pay pensions, so raising the CT is one way they can do this.

nuatha

kidcat wrote: »

The independant article points out that councils could choose to increase bills overall rather than cut benefit - will be interesting to see how many make that choice.

You're welcome to call me a cynic but I suspect many councils will do both.

grandma247

I thought I would check out what our council is planning. They are having a consultation and want our views. Well wouldn't it have been a good idea to TELL us about it?

Popperwell

grandma247 wrote: »

I thought I would check out what our council is planning. They are having a consultation and want our views. Well wouldn't it have been a good idea to TELL us about it?

A lot will do that but not tell anyone so the media needs to be vigilent. But the councils will say "We did ask for the views of the public"

At least eight Conservative councils are unhappy with what is being brought in, the Government will blame the councils and say that they had nothing to do with it!

recoverydust

If You want to try Edinburgh. We could do with a winter lodger. Just talked about it today
Xxxx

QUOTE=Popperwell;54990183]Nice one Smiley:)

I can remember Mum and myself used to talk years ago about panicking...And how sometimes you feel like running out the house screaming but it can only last so long no matter what you do and then what...

The same thing is true I suppose with this...we fight and lose, we give in and lose and live an even less good life but make the best of what we have even if much less.

I can eat basic food, smaller portions, wear more clothes to keep warm, if needs be give up tv and the internet and phone and just listen to a radio but they are relatively cheap and cost me around £3,000 or less but no spare cash for anything that needs repair or replacing. And no cash to cover needing to travel anywhere.

That's about £9 a day but what takes the money is the rent, CT, water rates and BT...or if you re buying your home the mortguage as opposed to rent. And that runs into thousands and I doubt many jobs are paying enough to cover those essentials. And if you need prescriptions medicines(and I do)

Well, I don't dare think what is coming. The answer is not smaller houses, you will soon be paying as much even if you can downsize.

Anyone need a lodger? At least I'd use up a spare room so you can avoid the bedroom tax:p[/QUOTE]

recoverydust

Popperwell wrote: »

Back to stocking up the store room as for replacing carpets and furniture...forget it! I'll get the mattresses, electric blankets, some shoes and trainers tomorrow, enjoy the shows I have booked(I have another 5 to see)some for next year but the tickets are purchased and the money put aside for the taxis...now as long as that form is accepted and there are no nasty surprises, that's another problem sorted.

You are right PAH...

I know that you are of course...

Oh I'll go and see if I can eat something...liver and bacon perhaps I should try and add some nashed potato and onions...then I'll try and get some sleep and pop up to see the CAB in the morning and let them study the form I sent in, I sent it recorded delivery...they can look at the photo copy...

Come to the fringe.
Have you heard of couch surfing?
Xxxx

recoverydust

kidcat wrote: »

Pops - I think thats the way it will end up, people taking in lodgers to cover costs. And that is possibly the aim of the whole thing anyways - when you consider that the age limit for single persons HB was increased and all the other changes, I suppose the idea is to stay with your parents until you have a family and then if you end up with a spare room rent it out.

I wonder where bedroom tax leaves parents with university students - current policies lean towards the idea that anyone under 30 should stay with parents, what happens if said parents have to rent out your room to pay the rent and council tax?

Parents having other parent's children as term time lodgers and students going home for the holidays, or going abroad to work. It happens in Europe. Young people lodge or got Auberge des Jeunes which is for working apprentice type people.

It will be alright. It may actually even end up better. Change is difficult and painful on a personal and system level. I see it as becoming more European in many ways.

Xxx