LCTS - Local Council Tax Support - Ex CTB

Sooetie

I received a letter today from the Local Council stating that my estimated contribution under the new system will be £7.53 a week.

I live in a band C house - Single adult on WFTC - 2 teenagers in education.

As I previously received 100% CTB and my circumstances have not changed this seems a large amount, £391 as opposed to the £150 - £250 the Government have been trying to kid us about. Last year my CTB was £974 so I work out that I will have to pay c40% - not the 10-20%

I just wondered if anyone else had been sent an estimate and if it is also way over the top of what we were lead to believe it would be

sammyjammy

In my area (Sheffield) those eligible for CT Support will have to pay 20% of their bill. For Band A that will be £198 pa or £3.80 a week, for Band C like yours it will be £263 pa or £5.05 a week.

john539

Sooetie wrote: »

I received a letter today from the Local Council stating that my estimated contribution under the new system will be £7.53 a week.

I live in a band C house - Single adult on WFTC - 2 teenagers in education.

As I previously received 100% CTB and my circumstances have not changed this seems a large amount, £391 as opposed to the £150 - £250 the Government have been trying to kid us about. Last year my CTB was £974 so I work out that I will have to pay c40% - not the 10-20%

I just wondered if anyone else had been sent an estimate and if it is also way over the top of what we were lead to believe it would be

Each council can set its own scheme.

Have you checked your council's policy on their website.

Phone council tax helpline to query calculation.

Sooetie

I will look into it but once they have set their figures who can change it?

Maybe the Council has hiked up all the council tax. Probably trying to get back the £16million they wasted on a ridiculous Art Gallery that nobody uses!

cockaleekee

Sooetie wrote: »

I will look into it but once they have set their figures who can change it?

Maybe the Council has hiked up all the council tax. Probably trying to get back the £16million they wasted on a ridiculous Art Gallery that nobody uses!

Did you not contribute to the consultation?

john539

Sooetie wrote: »

I will look into it but once they have set their figures who can change it?

Maybe the Council has hiked up all the council tax. Probably trying to get back the £16million they wasted on a ridiculous Art Gallery that nobody uses!

40% doesn't sound right, maybe they have made a mistake.

I would think if you were entitled 100% CTB it should be a straightforward % calculation based on their policy.

Sooetie

cockaleekee wrote: »

Did you not contribute to the consultation?

Actually it was originally going to cost about £6million and regenerate that area of town

Having cost nearly 3 times the original estimate guess what didn't get done!

AMG762

For my council it is also 20% to be paid for people that previously had full CTB

Very hard for people on income support, especially when the letters previously stated, 'the amount the law says you need to live on' and now having to pay additional amounts from this.

Also i believe it will cost the local councils more than they expect to recover this money. A lot of people on minimum state benefits already have debts and wont be able to meet the payments. Will now face threats of court hearings and liability orders

Jnet

I got mine yesterday! Has gone up from £16.00 a month to £86.00! I work but am on a low income! Was told when I called I would be better off signing on! Ridiculous!

BigAunty

Sooetie wrote: »

...
As I previously received 100% CTB and my circumstances have not changed this seems a large amount, £391 as opposed to the £150 - £250 the Government have been trying to kid us about. ..

I just wondered if anyone else had been sent an estimate and if it is also way over the top of what we were lead to believe it would be

The fact that you used to get a full discount and what other people are getting is irrelevant to your situation as in England, there is no national discount scheme so you will always be comparing apples with pears.

You should verify with your council that the sum they've billed you is correct or not, and then look into how you can increase your income or decrease your expenses to cover this additional £1 a day.

I also wasn't aware that the Government set targets for local councils on what they could charge. As far as I knew, they had to protect certain existing discounts (such as the single person's reduction), the councils were advised to consider vulnerable groups and then the govt just let them do as they pleased within those basic guidelines.

mysterywoman10

BigAunty wrote: »

The fact that you used to get a full discount and what other people are getting is irrelevant to your situation as in England, there is no national discount scheme so you will always be comparing apples with pears.

You should verify with your council that the sum they've billed you is correct or not, and then look into how you can increase your income or decrease your expenses to cover this additional £1 a day.

I also wasn't aware that the Government set targets for local councils on what they could charge. As far as I knew, they had to protect certain existing discounts (such as the single person's reduction), the councils were advised to consider vulnerable groups and then the govt just let them do as they pleased within those basic guidelines.

I did see one of the people who work in Council Benefits say a week or so ago last minute incentives were thrown into the mix.