Reduced BR fee?

Experiment626

Do you have to be claiming some kind of state benefit to get the BR fee reduced to £335?

I left my job 2 weeks ago voluntarily, this means I can't claim anything from the state, however I do not want to, but I would like if possible to get my BR fee reduced to the lower amount, from what i've read you need to be on some kind of benefit to do this.

I have a certain amount of money saved to see me through the next 4 weeks which will involve moving house, bankruptcy and finding a new job. It would be a massive help if I could get £150 knocked off the fees as my half of the housing deposit comes in at a neat £700 :eek:

Seems a bit of a catch 22, don't want JSA, but seems as though I have to claim to get a reduction on my BR fee's...but as I left my job voluntarily I can't claim JSA for 12 weeks, at which time I shall be working again.

It is also a priority to sort out the BR as I have HMRC threatening me with distraint and court action, to the point they came to my house, but luckily I wasn't there. I phoned them to say I will be going BR, am unemployed, am moving house, they said thanks for letting us know but we will still be following through with court action until they have my BR number

fermi

From: http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/fees/exemption/exemption.htm

About exemption

You may be exempt from paying a court fee which means that you do not have to pay it, by law.

You will be exempt from paying a fee if:

• You or your partner receive the benefit Income Support. Partner means someone to whom you are married, or in a civil partnership with; or someone who you live with as if you are married to them or in a civil partnership.
• You or your partner receive Pension Credit guarantee credit.
• You receive the benefit Income-based Job Seeker's Allowance

Either:

• Your gross annual income (your income before income tax and other money is taken away) is less than £15460 and you receive Working Tax Credit with a 'disability element' or 'severe disability element';
  or
• Your gross annual income is less than £15460 and you and your partner receive Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit between you.

HM Revenue & Customs send you an award notice that shows your annual income. This is your gross annual income. If it is more than £15,460, the court may suggest that you apply for remission. If you receive Working Tax Credit, the award notice will show if you receive a 'disability element' or 'severe disability element'

• you are involved in a family case and receive 'Legal Help'. 'Legal Help' means the legal advice and assistance given under the Community Legal Service scheme. If you are not sure if the case is a family case, please ask a customer service officer at the court.

However it seems that many courts are generous in their interpretation of these rules, so it's best to ring your court up and ask.

Hope that helps.

penguin83

If you are not in receipt of benefits you can still apply for a remission of the court fee on the basis of a low income. This means you may only have to pay part or none of the court fee.

You would need to complete both sides of form EX160 in as much detail as you can as these figures are what we use to work out your financial position. We ask for up to date proof of all your income including things like child benefit and bank statements. We are pretty strict however and your local court may be a bit more lenient so ring them to check what they require. Form EX160 is available from the link below

http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/courtfinder/forms/ex160_1205.pdf

chesternutz

so basically nothing if you are a single person, or in a civil partnership with no kids, who work their !!! off paying tax for life to get nothing back, great ole blighty dont ya just love it. people who are married with kids get enough helps, bout time people who keep the eceonomy going should get a fai deal too. i mean how many singletons take time off because their kids are ill? ask for extra teax credits because they have kids but really want to buy from a catalogue or booze down the pub.

ok rant over

TroubledSoul_3

That is a very sweeping statement chesternutz, and not fair to tar everyone on benefit with the same brush, we are not all there because we want to be, personally I would love to be out doing a 40 hour week, nice house nice car, holidays in the sun, but I have been struck with an awfull illness that will not allow me to work ever again, I used to feel similar to you, but I can assure you not everyone on benefit buys from catalogues or goes down the pub, there just isn't enough money to go round for all that, and tax credits are not a walk in the park either, they can leave you even more hard up as they muck up more than they get right.
But you can claim tax credits if you are single with no kids and on a low income, a friend of mine does. I agree though people who work their butt off should be rewarded somehow, maybe some kind of tax bonus for being in work, instead of being taxed even more.
Sorry... My rant over too now ;-)

savagevixen

chesternutz wrote: »

so basically nothing if you are a single person, or in a civil partnership with no kids, who work their !!! off paying tax for life to get nothing back, great ole blighty dont ya just love it. people who are married with kids get enough helps, bout time people who keep the eceonomy going should get a fai deal too. i mean how many singletons take time off because their kids are ill? ask for extra teax credits because they have kids but really want to buy from a catalogue or booze down the pub.

ok rant over

It has been explained to you that if you are on a low income you may qualify for a reduced fee. I am married with kids, and can assure you that it is very expensive to feed, clothe, keep warm, clean healthy children and my husband and I have nothing extra for ourselves and go without frequently. We give the best, most nutritious food to the children. I use a catalogue occasionally, because we do not have enough money to live of and sometimes need things we can't afford any other way. (Balance is £28)
My husband and I have not been out, together on our own for 6.5 years-which was actually when we had a meal out to celebrate our marriage.
Our marriage that cost £92 and I took my outfit back the next day.
My husband has only ever taken 3 days off work because of the children, and that was when his boss forced him to take compassionate leave in February, when his 3 year old nearly died of pneumonia.
What an arrogant, idiotic, childish rant, in the wrong place.
We got into debt supporting our family, when my husband tried to better his chances in life by going to uni as a mature student. Unfortunately we didn't fit any 'boxes' (not enough mature students with kids at the time) and received no extra financial support at uni (no familt Tax Credits as he wasn't 'working' and no income support as he wasn't 'unemployed') So everything went down hill, trying to live and pay bills and rent on a 'family'.
Whats your excuse, there's only one of you? Blow it all down the pub?
Doesn't feel very nice to have people make assumptions does it.

PixiePie

savagevixen wrote: »

.......(no familt Tax Credits as he wasn't 'working' and no income support as he wasn't 'unemployed') ........

Guys, surely this is the main root of the problem - not people having kids and what they may or may not do with any income from any source received, not people without kids doing or not doing stuff to support those with kids (in a roundabout way or directly), but the damn GOVERNMENT desperately trying to score points so that they get elected again - lets get everyone off the unemployement register, by not actually employed by encouraging youngsters to stay in 6th Form (and get EMA) and then go to uni (with loans) so they can graduate up to the eyeballs in debt and not necessarily be any closer to a good career. Lets sell people the dream that going to uni improves your career options (not always true, sometimes yes, but not always), and all the other ways to get people off statistics lists whilst not actually improving their situations. But at the end of the day, by shouting at one another all we do is play into their little scheme and have been hood winked some more. Please don't think this is a go at either side of the kids/no kids people on here, it isn't, it's a 'look what the smelly people who are meant to run this country do to us' plea. Without saying anything else is better, democracy doesn't work unfortunately, as it's just a popularity contest and therefore things are done because they appear to be good, rather than long term benefiting the nation...

chesternutz

firstly

sorry if i offended anyone, but thought you may just understand the reasoning behind my rant, that there are blighty asbo's just wasting taxpayers money buying designer clothes from catalogues, building up debts, drinking the money and for what!

i admire any family who can survive on the measly help the government provide. i grew up with my dad unemployed for 5 yrs, and had hard times, and bullying for it. i know where your coming from. but do you honestly think would rant over familys on the bread line struggling to survive with what help they get. NO. just the teenage mutha F****** who go through high school planning their aged 15 pregnancy to the spotty chav in his rockports, then get given the council house, and everything on a plate, and never work.

Families with working parents or ones who keep a happy home deserve medals, and the government need to reward that. if i had my way, their would be no funding whatsoever to any parents under the age of 21 to reduce child pregnancy, only small amounts for unmarried couples, and rewards for children in schools, that achieve, rewards for youth club activitis and sports, not EMA for just turning up to a lecture but painting your nails at the back of the class.

as for uni student, its all just a big !!!! up. i have been there done that. wasted 12k and for what, i dont use what i qualified in 10 yrs ago. just ended me up in debt. apprentiships is the way forward. give people money, and jobs, and training, rewardthem for their actions not just turning up, mentor them, guide and support them.

rant over