Local Council Tax Support

jobdone1

spacey2012 wrote: »

In todays news:
3270 people have lost their jobs today alone in retailing TODAY.
This is the the answer the Government has come up with.
RBS Tax payer owned bank is expected to post losses of 2 billion, the boss expected to pocket bonuses of 2 million, £780,000 in one "instalment"
Yet they have to cut in to the pockets of someone on £71 a week because they lost their job due to banks not lending.
Anyone who thinks this is right is disgusting.

I could not agree more

Zziggi

The OPs information is specific to their council only. (Which council?)

My council will charge everybody except pensioners receiving means tested help. The council leader said that was fair & would also be implemented along with more investment in getting people into jobs. Since even those in the support group of ESA will have to pay, I think my council's leader is amazing if she thinks she can get those in the support group into work. Not to mention all the services the council is cutting for disabled people. We've been told to find £205 a week for care for ESA support group husband as council no longer fund the essential help (*note* no-one has said the need has reduced). Err how? And pay council tax and manage fuel and food costs. I just can't. Simple as.

That's before we even begin to talk about more unemployed than jobs.

They're heartless bar stewards.

Own_My_Own

Zziggi wrote: »

The OPs information is specific to their council only. (Which council?)

Tendring District Council

http://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/council-tax/local-council-tax-support-changes-april-2013

Example 1:
If you are a single person on Job Seekers Allowance and the only adult in the property:

Amount on Bill
Council Tax Charge
(average Band B in Tendring) £1,103.84
Single Person Discount 25% £827.88
LCTS Scheme £82.79
Your annual Council Tax Bill would be for the year £82.79. Your LCTS award amount for the year is £745.09


If you have been in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance for 3 years or more
If you have been in continuous receipt of Job Seekers Allowance for 3 years or more, and not either been employed or self-employed during any of that period your LCTS Award will be reduced a further 25% on top of the 10%.

Example 1
If you are a single person on Job Seekers Allowance for 3½ years and the only adult in the property:

Amount on bill
Council Tax Charge
(average Band B in Tendring)
£964.15
Single Persons Discount 25%
£723.11
Less (JSA 3 year rule)
£488.10
LCTS scheme £235.01
Your annual Council Tax Bill would be for the year £235.01. Your LCTS award amount for the year is £488.10

ETA -I have no idea why they use to different figures for the average band B Council Tax Charge. All other examples use the figure in top example I copied.

sammyjammy

It does make me shake my head in distress when people go on about civil unrest and peoples human rights. I would love to pick some long term unemployed people up and drop them in another country such as Spain, USA or virtually any other country in the world.

They would seen see how generous and unsustainable our benefit system is.

I'm not suggesting our governments always get the decisions right and there were always be people who are badly affected by the new rules unfairly but if we didn't have one size fits all rules we'd have ten times the public sector we already have which would also be unsustainable.

jobdone1

sammyjammy wrote: »

It does make me shake my head in distress when people go on about civil unrest and peoples human rights. I would love to pick some long term unemployed people up and drop them in another country such as Spain, USA or virtually any other country in the world.

They would seen see how generous and unsustainable our benefit system is.

I'm not suggesting our governments always get the decisions right and there were always be people who are badly affected by the new rules unfairly but if we didn't have one size fits all rules we'd have ten times the public sector we already have which would also be unsustainable.

You are clearly out of touch my chicken, The basic cost of essential bills [MUST PAY} has shot up in the last couple of years I remember when our council raised council tax in one year over 20% then you have the way above inflation rises on gas and electric, My water company want to raise its prices in April by 5.3% so its no wonder that as working peoples wages stagnate they will need support of housing benefit and council tax benefit how you can shake your head is beyond me, Its time the government started to get a grip of the greedy fat cats and pay a LIVING wage NOT a minimum wage

Own_My_Own

sammyjammy wrote: »

I think the three or more years unemployed is good but I think the 5 years living in the District is a little unfair - it's not like people will move to receive the support!

This may change explain it.

http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/local/clacton/9684242.Don_t_dump_jobless_on_Tendring__urge_council_bosses/

Clacton apparently already one new council estate built purely to accommodate the influx.

sammyjammy

jobdone1 wrote: »

You are clearly out of touch my chicken, The basic cost of essential bills [MUST PAY} has shot up in the last couple of years I remember when our council raised council tax in one year over 20% then you have the way above inflation rises on gas and electric, My water company want to raise its prices in April by 5.3% so its no wonder that as working peoples wages stagnate they will need support of housing benefit and council tax benefit how you can shake your head is beyond me, Its time the government started to get a grip of the greedy fat cats and pay a LIVING wage NOT a minimum wage

How very patronising of you. I was talking of out of work benefits not wages, think you're on the wrong thread.

jobdone1

sammyjammy wrote: »

How very patronising of you. I was talking of out of work benefits not wages, think you're on the wrong thread.

PATRONISING then you should be more clear with you comments

hereigoagain22

A friend of mine gets £71 a week JSA. He is in his thirties and has never claimed benefits in his life, he went to uni from school to study engineering and also qualified in welding & fabricating. By no means a lazy person.

He was made redundant last September, he applies for every single job he could do including supermarkets, shops etc. (so not just picking and choosing jobs). He has only had a few interviews and has been turned down for everything else.

He is moving into a 2 bedroom properly shortly with his only income as JSA. The reason for choosing a 2 bedroom property is because he has 2 children with his ex-partner and he would like to care for them 2/3 days per week. So when the new rules come in his income and outgoings will be -

£71.00 JSA weekly
£60.20 Housing Benefit weekly (£70 full benefit minus 14%)
£9.08 Council Tax Benefit (Band B Council Tax minus 25% SPD then 10%)
Total Income = £140.28 weekly

Outgoings
£70 Rent
£3.50 "Service charge" from Council for flat
£10.09 Council Tax (yearly amount £699.33 minus 25% SPD)
£3.79 Water & Waste Water (yearly charge £262.38 minus 25% single person discount)
£20 Electricity
£11 weekly bus ticket for shopping, job centre and interviews (equivalent to 3 days travel)

This leaves him with £21.90 per week to feed and clothe himself. He could also be liability to pay a little child maintenance (not sure how much it is) and is supposed to provide for the children on the 2/3 days they live with him. Are they supposed to eat bread and water? He is homeless and has no family to support him. I think that is an disgusting amount for a government to expect a person to live on.

We live in a very cheap area (as you can see from the rent and Council Tax figures) and I expect the figure will be much worse for a seperated Dad who has lost his job in other areas.

jobdone1

hereigoagain22 wrote: »

A friend of mine gets £71 a week JSA. He is in his thirties and has never claimed benefits in his life, he went to uni from school to study engineering and also qualified in welding & fabricating. By no means a lazy person.

He was made redundant last September, he applies for every single job he could do including supermarkets, shops etc. (so not just picking and choosing jobs). He has only had a few interviews and has been turned down for everything else.

He is moving into a 2 bedroom properly shortly with his only income as JSA. The reason for choosing a 2 bedroom property is because he has 2 children with his ex-partner and he would like to care for them 2/3 days per week. So when the new rules come in his income and outgoings will be -

£71.00 JSA weekly
£60.20 Housing Benefit weekly (£70 full benefit minus 14%)
£9.08 Council Tax Benefit (Band B Council Tax minus 25% SPD then 10%)
Total Income = £140.28 weekly

Outgoings
£70 Rent
£3.50 "Service charge" from Council for flat
£10.09 Council Tax (yearly amount £699.33 minus 25% SPD)
£3.79 Water & Waste Water (yearly charge £262.38 minus 25% single person discount)
£20 Electricity
£11 weekly bus ticket for shopping, job centre and interviews (equivalent to 3 days travel)

This leaves him with £21.90 per week to feed and clothe himself. He could also be liability to pay a little child maintenance (not sure how much it is) and is supposed to provide for the children on the 2/3 days they live with him. Are they supposed to eat bread and water? He is homeless and has no family to support him. I think that is an disgusting amount for a government to expect a person to live on.

We live in a very cheap area (as you can see from the rent and Council Tax figures) and I expect the figure will be much worse for a seperated Dad who has lost his job in other areas.

Just my point I feel so sorry for people who have no choice but to claim support and they deserve it and I am glad the tax I pay for my wages gives people hope and most important a roof and food and only right to.