Council Tax Help

Blackpool_Saver

Housing_Benefit_Officer wrote: »

You can lead a horse to water...

exactly .....

allen35

Unfortunatley ignorance of the rules is no excuse and i can't rule out other income in this case, if you contact a dep't surely they would say you are entitled to full benefits but.... when not claiming your full entitlement there is a thought of are you hiding something.

A local authority's main role is to save the state money...fact and if not claiming your full entitlement to benefits such as JSA they will ask questions which are understandable..

If you fail to answer well......999.99 applies

Bogof_Babe

The fact remains, Willber, that this woman is still of working age, so why should the taxpayer fund her housing commitments when she should be seeking the wherewithal to do so herself?

I'm surprised that Housing Benefit Officer seems to think she just has to walk into a council office and claim this support, without any conditionality. Why would anyone of working age choose to work more than a few hours a week, if these benefits are there for the taking?

I read the OP's comment about the person in question being tearful and depressed as relating purely to her financial worries, and not a medical condition. Perhaps the OP would like to clarify that one?

I am 61 and 3 months, and still over 7 months from my state pension age, so being only 60 this woman will have more than a few months to wait for her pension credits.

OP - why doesn't your partner's mum seek a second job, or a job that can support her? Why do you believe it is down to the taxpayer to make up the shortfall in her living costs?

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

The fact remains, Willber, that this woman is still of working age, so why should the taxpayer fund her housing commitments when she should be seeking the wherewithal to do so herself?

I'm surprised that Housing Benefit Officer seems to think she just has to walk into a council office and claim this support, without any conditionality. Why would anyone of working age choose to work more than a few hours a week, if these benefits are there for the taking?

Anyone can claim and as long as they qualify they will get help. There are no conditions like work more hours etc. The claim is processed on household and financial circumstances and eligible rent and council tax. Council's can't and don't impose conditions on the claimant maximising their income.

Why are you surprised? This is how Housing Benefit works - just walk into your local council offices and make a claim providing supporting evidence regarding rent, income, household and savings and proof of identity and national insurance number.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

willber wrote: »

Don't be so silly. Have you never heard of a 'Welfare Rights organisation' or the DWP visiting team that come along to ensure that the claimant is receiving every available benefit that they are entitled to?

At one time local authorities used to have visiting teams that carried out home visits to ensure that both HB & CTB were in payment. They then, if they thought that the DWP should also be involved, would make a referral for their visiting teams to come along.

Most visiting teams don't have the luxury of time and resources to visit people who might be entitled to claim. Visiting teams are being wound down anyway as all Housing Benefit Departments are now starting the process of decommissioning due to the introduction of Universal Credit - come 2017 your local Housing Benefit Department will cease to exist. Some staff will remain to administer Local Council Tax Support. This year the DWP made massive cuts to the grants they give Local authorities to administer Housing Benefit. These cuts will continue year after year until they will be cut altogether when every Housing Benefit claimant migrates to Universal Credit.

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow

OP you state that she is spending 75% of her income on council tax, that means 75% of £250 which is £187.50 in council tax every month. :eek:

Can I ask how big the house is that she's living in please? It would have to be huge to be paying £2200 a year in council tax. Could she move to a smaller property?

Bogof_Babe

My boyfriends mum is 60 years old and lives on her own. She works part time and only gets £250 a month, but was told that her wages are not low enough to qualify for a council tax low income status/exemption but a reduction.

Well in the OP's case it seems that for whatever undisclosed reason, she does not qualify, although I'm unclear what is meant by "was told that her wages are not low enough to qualify for a council tax low income status/exemption but a reduction".

So I'm not sure why some people seem to think she is not getting what she is entitled to. Seems she has already been through the claiming process and been rejected.

Jobseeeker

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow wrote: »

OP you state that she is spending 75% of her income on council tax, that means 75% of £250 which is £187.50 in council tax every month. :eek:

Can I ask how big the house is that she's living in please? It would have to be huge to be paying £2200 a year in council tax. Could she move to a smaller property?

Council tax is based on value not size, my council tax is a lot and i live in a one bedroom flat.

it would not be £2200 a year as there are only 10 payments per year.

Is she already getting the 25% discount for living alone?

sammyjammy

Housing_Benefit_Officer wrote: »

Anyone can claim and as long as they qualify they will get help. There are no conditions like work more hours etc. The claim is processed on household and financial circumstances and eligible rent and council tax. Council's can't and don't impose conditions on the claimant maximising their income.

Why are you surprised? This is how Housing Benefit works - just walk into your local council offices and make a claim providing supporting evidence regarding rent, income, household and savings and proof of identity and national insurance number.

Not for long, Universal credit will resolve this issue.

StormyWeather_2

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

Well in the OP's case it seems that for whatever undisclosed reason, she does not qualify, although I'm unclear what is meant by "was told that her wages are not low enough to qualify for a council tax low income status/exemption but a reduction".

So I'm not sure why some people seem to think she is not getting what she is entitled to. Seems she has already been through the claiming process and been rejected.

From the OP, it sounds as though she's just phoned them to ask for a discount rather than go through a formal application for HB and CTB.