Anyone had experience with council tax benefit?

mlarmour

I don't personally pay council tax, but I am asking about my mum's house where I currently live. Before I moved back home, my mum didn't pay council tax when she was unemployed and then paid a reduce rate until I came home from uni and then it went up to the full amount.

I was just wondering if anyone knew this was right. My brother is on an apprenticeship so doesn't earn much money; I am unemployed and receiving JSA; and my mum is the sole earner bringing in a base wage of £600 a month, which is topped up to about £800/£900 with overtime which isn't guaranteed every month. However, we have been told that collectively we earn too much money which doesn't seem right as before mum lost her job we had a reduced council tax bill as she brought home £1,600 after tax.

Is this right? Are we not entitled to anything?

tomtom256

She would have had a student disregard for you or 25% single person discount if you were not resident.

When you ceased being a student and or moved back in this disregard/discount would end and the full 100% would be chargeable again.

Most councils no longer do a 2nd adult rebate, so you wouldn't get a reduction for being on JSA/low income.

As there are more than 2 adults in the property, presumably your brother is over 18? Then she wouldn't get a reduction for him being an aprentice, although it is worth asking about just in case.

Have you run your mums finances through an online benefits calculator?

pmlindyloo

Both you and your brother are classed as non dependants.

Therefore the council will make a non dependent deduction according to each of your personal circumstances from any council tax reduction that your mum may be eligible for.

Councils now run their own schemes so the amounts they deduct may vary.

You can google the name of your council plus council tax non dependent deductions to find out what the deductions are.

As suggested, your mum can put the details into the benefits calculator here:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/benefits-check

to check her entitlements.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Council Tax Benefit was scrapped last year and replaced by individual local schemes with qualifying criteria set by each local Council. It does mean each working age claimant is far worse off under the new schemes than under the old scheme. As each Council now has its own rules it is impossible for anyone to tell you if the calculation is correct or not as it would depend on the local scheme rules.