Council Tax Support????

yvonne13_2

Council Tax Benefit is due to end on 1 April 2013 and is being replaced by Council Tax Support.

The government is withdrawing 10% of its funding to councils, so most councils will have a shortfall of around £1million to their budgets - hence the switch to local Council Tax Support.

The details will vary from council to council, but in general every working-age claimant, regardless of their financial circumstances, will be expected to pay the first 20% of their Council Tax liability. This means people who currently receive full Council Tax Benefit will have to pay something (that's the vague bit) towards their council tax from 1 April 2013.

Can someone clarify if they have been informed about this? I stumbled across this information by accident.

princessdon

It's been discussed many times and the concensus is that it depends on the local authority as to what they are charging, how they implementing and who is affected and or exempt.

The advice is always to contact your LA and ask for their plans as it will change with your postcode.

nannytone_2

some posters have already had clarification.
i'm still waiting to hear.

some councils have made the disabled exempt, but because different areas have differing proportions of pensioners ( who are exempt) some need to charge everyone.

my area is 50% pensioners. so even though i am disabled, i will have to pay 20% of my total council tax bill

combined with the total lack of 1 bedroom social housing ( even the pensioners bungalows are 2 bedroomed, but theyre exempy) it will be hard going for the people that bcant change their circumstances.

but never mind,,, we arent important because we dont have multiple children

KxMx

And some local councils like mine have only just closed the consultation period and are yet to announce where the axe will fall.

yvonne13_2

I have not been told anything only a letter yesterday saying I had £30 left to pay of my bill.

KxMx

I don't know if councils are informing people about this per se, whether they have done or will do, but the general change has been reported widely on the internet and the news.

nannytone_2

yvonne13 wrote: »

I have not been told anything only a letter yesterday saying I had £30 left to pay of my bill.

if you get any benefit then you'll pay more next year

yvonne13_2

nannytone wrote: »

if you get any benefit then you'll pay more next year

I don't get benefits as I work but I am getting single persons allowance on my council tax.

miduck

nannytone wrote: »

if you get any benefit then you'll pay more next year

Not necessarily - some LA's are recouping their lost income by reducing/ abolishing second home and empty property discounts.

nannytone_2

KxMx wrote: »

I don't know if councils are informing people about this per se, whether they have done or will do, but the general change has been reported widely on the internet and the news.

it has been widely reprted, but they will have to inform indiviuals of any changes

KxMx

I wonder if there is a legal requirement as to how long a period of notice people get because as I said my council is still deciding.