Why is the council tax so high?

StaceyLouiseMoore

pmlindyloo wrote: »

The answer is that either they have made a mistake or there is some information that you are not giving us.

So lets go back to basics.

Your mum is on Income Support which gives her automatic entitlement to her maximum housing allowance.

So, what is the make up of your family? How many adults? How many children - age and sexes, so we can work out your mum's local housing allowance. Any disabilities/receiving DLA/PIP?

What is your rent?

Perhaps your mum is having to pay a top up to the rent because she is renting a house that has (according to the council) more than the number of bedrooms that she is eligible for. (This is related to your previous question about HB non dependent deduction) Where did you get the figure from for the non dependent deduction? Is it on the breakdown of the housing benefit award letter or did your mum work it out?

Since the council tax bill is sent to your mum how do you know what they are charging you. What exactly does it say in the breakdown of the figures? Is there a mention of the amount of non dependent deduction - that is the crucial figure.

Two adults, one child.
No other benefits are being recieved apart from the child tax credit, and child benefit for the child.

One adult over 21, and the other over 35, child is nearly 3.

The rent is about £80-£90 a week.
We live in a two bedroom house, so all the rooms are occupied.

the non dependant deductions are on north somersets website:

http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/Housing/housing_and_council_tax_benefit/claims_and_payments/Pages/Who-can-claim-FAQs.aspx#s

StaceyLouiseMoore

pmlindyloo wrote: »

I can't see £7.28. Where did you get that figure from?

Sorry, I got the £7.28 from the online calculator. im unsure how to supply a screenshot of this though.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Council Tax Benefit was scrapped last year and replaced by local schemes. Not many give working age claimants on Income Support 100% help now - many have to pay sometimes as much as 35% of their bill.

StaceyLouiseMoore

pmlindyloo wrote: »

The answer is that either they have made a mistake or there is some information that you are not giving us.

So lets go back to basics.

Your mum is on Income Support which gives her automatic entitlement to her maximum housing allowance.

So, what is the make up of your family? How many adults? How many children - age and sexes, so we can work out your mum's local housing allowance. Any disabilities/receiving DLA/PIP?

What is your rent?

Perhaps your mum is having to pay a top up to the rent because she is renting a house that has (according to the council) more than the number of bedrooms that she is eligible for. (This is related to your previous question about HB non dependent deduction) Where did you get the figure from for the non dependent deduction? Is it on the breakdown of the housing benefit award letter or did your mum work it out?

Since the council tax bill is sent to your mum how do you know what they are charging you. What exactly does it say in the breakdown of the figures? Is there a mention of the amount of non dependent deduction - that is the crucial figure.

Did you look over the information I gave you?
thankyou.

pmlindyloo

StaceyLouiseMoore wrote: »

Did you look over the information I gave you?
thankyou.

Yes, I did.

It is very strange that the calculator is giving you a different figure to the one on the chart.

Using this benefit calculator (which is usually very accurate) it gives the figure in the chart - £3.70? (read the last page after you have completed it about council tax)

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

The calculator also says that your mum has to pay some of the council tax. As Housing benefit officer has said all councils run their own scheme. I have looked at your council's policy and the non dependent deduction (as far as I can tell - it is horrendously complicated to read) seems to be £7.28 per week worked out as one seventh of £20 each day.

I am sorry that I can't help further. It is sometimes difficult to help when the paperwork can't be seen.

The only thing left is to go to the council and ask them to give you a breakdown of what your mum has to pay and what the non dependent deduction is.

Good luck.

MissMoneypenny

StaceyLouiseMoore wrote: »

it's from december the 1st to january the 1st.

They work out what you owe for this countil tax year and then divide it by the months left to pay in this tax year. Therefore if you owe for previous months in this year, it will be more per month if they aren't starting your bill until 1 December.

Normally councils want the money over 10 months (April to January) but you can ask them to spread the payments until 1 March if it will cause you hardship and see if they will allow that?

CIS

but you can ask them to spread the payments until 1 March if it will cause you hardship and see if they will allow that?

Just to clarify - there doesn't need to be any hardship to do this and the council cannot refuse (assuming a person hasn't lost the right to instalments).

basicallymum123

I actually am with the same council, and have the same issue. the local advisor agreed it was wrong but since the actual council tax dept will only talk over , very slow, email, I have found it impossible to sort!


grace