[Help] Council Tax + Housing Benefit

princessdon

Jordxn wrote: »

Thank you for the advice. I'm going to obtain a full medical report and speak to someone about it. I don't think it's fair that they are trying to get my Mum to work when she isn't fit for it.

I'll pay the bill and probably just move back home and pay an extra £40 a week for rent. The property where my Mum lives in Band B for council tax, do you know if that is just a standard £1,150 bill for the whole year?

If I move back home, will they still help with any housing benefit? I earn £17,000 a year? I will be the only person in the household working. If not, it doesn't matter, but If any help is available then I'd like to know.

She will still get a lot of help, just not what she does now, you pay your mate £50 a week, seems unfair to pay mum less, on your take home I'd say £400 pm for bills/food/rent is fairer on mum.

Jordxn

princessdon wrote: »

See that is more evidence you live there, buying goods etc.

Many people live at one address but have digs/rooms closer to work, it doesn't affect where you legally live for benefit reasons.

Go to CAB with her. Get a benefits review and ask for a more suitable payment plan.

Or try to fight it, which could mean a formal investigation and more stress, plus she'd owe money for bedroom tax and council tax anyway etc.

As you are earning close to £1800 pm (based on you paying £200 pm tax), then the £200 you are paying your mate, leaves some funds to help her pay it back.

Thank you for the reply.

I buy her all of this stuff because she can't afford it, what do they expect her to do? live without a fridge, freezer and cooker, or a sofa to sit on? I can't believe that would count as proof...it's crazy how people try to dictate how we live, so much for being free!

I will go to citizens advice and get a plan put together. I will pay the bill if that's the only option available.

Jordxn

princessdon wrote: »

She will still get a lot of help, just not what she does now, you pay your mate £50 a week, seems unfair to pay mum less, on your take home I'd say £400 pm for bills/food/rent is fairer on mum.

Sorry, I meant pay an extra £40 on top of the £50 a week for rent...so £90 a week for rent. I will just move back and help her out and just get up earlier to travel to work everyday.

princessdon

Jordxn wrote: »

Sorry, I meant pay an extra £40 on top of the £50 a week for rent...so £90 a week for rent. I will just move back and help her out and just get up earlier to travel to work everyday.

That sounds like a very good idea, plus get her some benefit help - she may be entitled to other benefits.

Jordxn

You clearly haven't read all of the information I've provided - my mum isn't capable of understanding any of this, she was fine until recently when the council contacted her about it..I assume she received help 19 years ago when sorting all of this out. I haven't lived at the address since starting my employment, so surely they would of continued supporting her anyway? as she cant afford to pay for it all by herself...my sister is a student and she can't afford to pay rent/council tax, she spends £4,000 of of £9,000 (student loan) a year on travel, the rest she needs to live (food, clothes, books and stationary etc...) - she doesn't have a "few extra quid" to give. She has a lot to deal with personally, she does NOT get any of this, hence why I'm asking about it so I can sort it out. You are one very ignorant person, what you are saying is wrong and not true. Not everyone on benefits is the same, you'd see that if you visited my Mum's house or spoke with my Mum. You don't know her so don't make assumptions about her please.

Jordxn

Also, if you knew my Mum, she has tried to get a job and tried she has. She has never missed an appointment, she goes on all of their courses, she trys and trys and trys. She clearly isn't fit for work, but you wouldn't know that because you don't know her. I can't help the way I've been brought up, It's not my fault. I grew up without nothing, no decent clothes, no luxury, no holidays, nothing. My Mum has has a difficult life, but again, you wouldn't know that because you don't know her. You can assume what you want, but if you lived the life we've lived then you too would call it unfair. So before you look down your nose at me, why don't you have an open mind and not consider everyone on benefits a problem, because if you ever lost your job or you became ill, it's the first thing you'd be claiming to live. My Mum only gets to live, she doesn't get luxury from life.

Dovah_diva

Yeah, I'm sure it has been a tough childhood. However, without the safety net of benefits it would have been a whole lot harder. Also, I don't believe that your Mum got advice 19 years ago and then bam! Nothing since then. I bet her benefits have increased, she would have completed forms etc. At the very least your sister could have helped.

Whatever. Fact is, she'll have to repay the debt. Both you and she need to learn from this and move on.

princessdon

Jordxn wrote: »

Also, if you knew my Mum, she has tried to get a job and tried she has. She has never missed an appointment, she goes on all of their courses, she trys and trys and trys. She clearly isn't fit for work, but you wouldn't know that because you don't know her. I can't help the way I've been brought up, It's not my fault. I grew up without nothing, no decent clothes, no luxury, no holidays, nothing. My Mum has has a difficult life, but again, you wouldn't know that because you don't know her. You can assume what you want, but if you lived the life we've lived then you too would call it unfair. So before you look down your nose at me, why don't you have an open mind and not consider everyone on benefits a problem, because if you ever lost your job or you became ill, it's the first thing you'd be claiming to live. My Mum only gets to live, she doesn't get luxury from life.

Actually I think everyone would agree your mum has done a good job as a parent. One young child working in a good job, one at uni - it shows she is a good mother.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Jordxn wrote: »

Thank you for your reply, sorry if It appears that I'm angry - it's just very stressful to hear that they expect my Mum to pay this amount of money. She tries her bloody hardest to get a job, she never has a holiday, she never has any money, she doesn't go on luxury days out to get away from it all. She has nothing, yet they expect her to pay so much money.

I have looked at Housing Benefit Officer's post and it's the perfect explanation to my problem, but I haven't changed anything.

I haven't changed my address for anything. I don't vote on the electoral roll or changed the address. I haven't changed my doctor. I haven't changed the address of where my bills go to. I haven't paid my friend by bank transfer, I just give him cash every month. My friend hasn't notified his mortgage company and my friend doesn't receive a council tax discount. I register everything to my mum's address as I go there once a week to pick my letters up and see her. It's only until I looked at her council letters that I knew she is having a problem with them. She doesn't know what to do or where she stands, she doesn't read all the mumbo jumbo terms and conditions, because this isn't what my Mum is capable of doing. I will seek help from her doctor and whoever else, but what can I do? should I just pay the amount? or what? should I move back home and just pay the rent? They want £90 a week as far I know.

So basically your Mum has been caught failing to declare your change in circumstances and now she has been caught out you are claiming to have left home and been living elsewhere since the end of 2011!

You are unable to prove you have been living at your friends. He didn't tell his mortgage company and probably failed to declare the additional income to the tax man. Everything still goes to your Mother's address.

So the overpayment is correct and recoverable.

She can only appeal and ask for a reconsideration of the decision.

How far away are you now living from you Mother?

Jordxn

jacques_chirac wrote: »

The OP does not state he is 19 - his sister is. Or maybe you read that his mother has been claiming benefits for 19 years?

I'm 19 and for an average 19 year old, at least I have a job...at least I worked my !!! off at school and college and now at work. I pay tax on my income, but I didn't know that I had to update the council that I left home. I left when I was 17 years old. I didn't know 2 years down the line it would create this problem for my Mum...so what If my Mum has been claiming for 19 years, it doesn't rule out the fact that she has tried her hardest to get a job, she has never missed an appointment, she goes to all of the courses they send her on...she doesn't moan about it, but at the end of the say, she needs to live and needs to proper benefits and help, so it hurts when people call her a fraud, when she isn't the normal you or me, she has problems, ones which she needs help with. I'm young so this council tax/housing benefit is a lesson learned, but people with more life experience shouldn't be making such awful assumptions about me or my Mother. I'm trying to sort it out at the end of the day.