changes to Council Tax Benefit

AnotherMakes3

I really hope this doesn't affect Scotland. We inherited our house when my hubby's dad died. We live in a small 3 bed with 3 kids but its a band E. Due to my hubby's hours and bonuses being cut at work we now qualify for CTB. No housing obviously as we own it. We should be £190pm and atm we pay £60.

ladyrider260

princessdon wrote: »

I suspect that depends on the council. In a 5 bed we only pay £24 pw. Other postcodes pay far less.

In our area they are not greedy with banding properties (have to be honest - even though it will affect me greatly). My house is valued conservatively at £250,000 (that is very conservative) and we are in a band of £58-£68.

Problem is re=banding and removing entitlement to some CT will hit the likes of yourself (at the moment - I appreciate you will have a different future) more. For me - It's less disposable income - for renters on benefits it is less to live on.

Each council appears to be dealing differently - ours has promised they won't charge those on benefits anything - others appear to be doing so.

Lucky :eek:. Here a 5 bedroomed house would normally be 200-300 a month.

I live in Devon so if Mid-Devon council are doing it, chances are it will hit me too. The councils here are extremely greedy and are probably trying to make up for the loss they make in the reduced council tax the ruddy second/holiday home owners get! :mad:

It wouldn't be so bad if rents were low but reality is, you're looking ar about 6-650 for a 2 bedroomed property with a £495 a month LHA. If they reduce the council tax benefit, that will finish me.

Murphymycat

It is nice of the Government to protect pensioners, but they have not really thought it through. A single person on Pension Credit gets roughly twice the amount a single unemployed person gets. The pensioner will not have to pay any CTB yet the unemployed person may have to contribute 25%. Doesn't really seem fair. I wonder how many unemployed people will end up in court because have chosen to pay for food, top up rent, electricity ahead of council tax?

Our council is having some open days where we can go along and ask questions. I will put this to them and see what they say.

I am on ESA and estimate I will have to pay £3ish per week, but if I am signed off ESA and put back onto JSA then I will really struggle.

Countdown to retirement 2.5 years, can't wait!

:T:T:T

Another thought, how many councils would not protect pensioners if they had a choice?

BigAunty

princessdon wrote: »

...
In our area they are not greedy with banding properties (have to be honest - even though it will affect me greatly). My house is valued conservatively at £250,000 (that is very conservative) and we are in a band of £58-£68.

...

When were the properties built? In England, homes are put into a valuation band based on their value on 1 April 1991, not what the property is worth today. In Wales, homes are put into a valuation band based on their value in 2003.

princessdon

BigAunty wrote: »

When were the properties built? In England, homes are put into a valuation band based on their value on 1 April 1991, not what the property is worth today. In Wales, homes are put into a valuation band based on their value in 2003.

It's an old property - but as you say the value is based on 1991 and not 2012. we purchased in 1990 and paid £67 K so it's about right based on 1991 (but we have spent thousands and extended heavily).

That is why we *think* they are looking to reband or revalue. Given the letter we received pointed out house price rises and value for money - it does appear that this is the route they are perhaps going down. House prices in my area are low - but there has been growth just not as much as other areas.

Bizarely googling (once this thread came on here) it appears they are saying there will be NO increases at all or changes planned - so I guess we will have to wait and see.

WashingTime

Some interesting discussions, but what I can say from a semi-informed position is:

* I think the chances of any kind of re-valuation is very low. Not every house is in the correct band (hence appeals), but accuracy wouldn't be greatly improved by re-banding. Also, re-banding wouldn't bring in more money because bands are a relative measure, not absolute.

* It's also absolute tosh for any council to say it will give 100%, cast-iron protection to everyone on benefits. Just can't be done without charging about £20k-£30k per property where people don't claim any benefits! Councils may of course give some kind of protection (I think someone mentioned 75% in Mid Devon) but that still means people on benefits finding about £250 a year.

* I think it is very, very, very unlikely that any council would continue offering any kind of discount to second homes or single people.

Hope that helps put some minds at rest ...

BigAunty

I think no govt will have the courage to reband properties to increase the receipt of council tax income - it's a vote killer which affects millions of potential voters.

Like the previous poster, I can't see how any council can make a promise to clear the shortfall without affecting any benefit claimants.

princessdon

I hope not - but it was a strange letter to receive. just general propaganda on how fantastic the council are etc - then a comment about house prices and a leaflet on current bandings.

Certainly made me think they way it was worded.

But they are now charging for other things from April (eg garden waste removal is £20 per year for the brown bin) so maybe they are looking at other areas to make the deficit up

ladyrider260

Ok, rang my local council (Devon) and they HAVE confirmed that from April 2013, they will only pay up to 75% of council tax for people on benefits. This is also only for properties up to Band D. So anything E and above.....well, you're stuffed. Absolutely appauling.

What's worse.....I know someone in a 5 bedroomed house with 2 bathrooms, they are band C. I'm looking for a little 2 bedroomed property and some are coming up at band D! The way it's worked out is hugely unfair, it should be done according to the amount of bedrooms per property with rentals (houses which have been owned for a certain amount of time should be done by occupancy, it's unfair to price people out of their homes that they've raised families in). They could then work it out by need, as they do with LHA. They'd save ££££££. Why should a small family in a 2 bedroomed property pay £50 a month more in council tax than a big family in a huge property?!


I'm already hugely concerned about this. it means having to find another £30 a month which I simply cannot spare.

At this rate, I'm going to end up on charity food parcels.

BigAunty

ladyrider260 wrote: »

Ok, rang my local council (Devon) and they HAVE confirmed that from April 2013, they will only pay up to 75% of council tax for people on benefits. This is also only for properties up to Band D. So anything E and above.....well, you're stuffed. Absolutely appauling.


..

Incredible. I'm not surprised that councils are seeking a small percentage from (some) benefit claimants, though a quarter of the council tax bill is still enormous for a household that qualifies solely for a low benefit like JSA, perhaps having to find a tenner a week.

But the lack of help for band E and over is mind-boggling - imagine someone on a low paid sickness or job seeking benefit who has to find perhaps £50 a week for their council tax.