Council Tax Debt

System

Councils are willing to help, as my girlfriend works for the local one in my area - they will help provided you go to them when you know you're going to have a problem.

This situation seems like it's gone far too far for that.

If 25% takes it to £80 a month, then I assume I'm right to say that the tax at full price is around £1000 a year.

My council tax, and I'm working (two of us at address) is under £800, although it is band A, which is the cheapest.

What kind of property does your girlfriend live in? If my assumption is correct about the £1000, then it would appear to me that she is in a house of reasonable value.

Not working may well be the answer here, although that will not take this problem away. I'd refuse to pay £1000 a year when me and my girlfriend live together, I don't see exactly how they can expect your girlfriend to pay £800 on her own.

One final point, maybe not neccessary, but don't do what some people do, and move in with her without declaring it. This will complicate things even more, as eventually the council will find out one way or another.

zcaprd7

So she pays for her house rather than herself council tax wise.

This is because of the protests against poll tax, to make it 'fairer' i.e. you and your girlfirend 'share' the council tax where as she has to pay it all - very fair.

I think the amount is so large because she has just ignored paying for it for a long time - which is doable with credit card debt but you've no chance with govermental organisations...


I gather the tabloids are interested because she is a single mother who actually works rather relying on the state...

...and now she's worse off for it?

Talking_Sense

They have taken the lot again. Good, that means those of us that have had to pay this ridiculous CT or what ever it was called, on time are getting our monies worth.

If your GF only has to pay £80 a month, she must have be stupid to realise that she could probably enjoy the trappins of life before paying the CT. Did she just ignore it or has she ever considered getting some kind of rebate. I think not.

Get Real, and if you require a rebate ask for one. If not, pay up and shut up.

simonfr

She stays in a two bedroomed house, pays the rent and all the bills and stuff herself.
She is in the catch22 situation, she gets working family tax credits and maintenance, and works, but has to pay it all, or if she doesnt work, she loses the maintenance, tax credits, and would actually have less money in her hand.
The Benefits agency absorb the maintenance money for her kid to pay her benefits, good huh!!
So it is better for her to work. She can have better 'trappings' for life. (Talking_Sense she is looking at a new Range Rover for her country estate).

I dont stay with her, that would really screw things up, and ive my own place and council tax to worry about.

Bring back the Poll tax, i, and she, would be a lot better off.

Simon

PS because the coucil deem she has 'too much' spare money (whatever the limits are), she doesnt get a rebate.

Robert_Sterling_3

If she has "too much spare money" then why not pay the council tax bill? ... or am I missing something here?

Spendless

simonfr - sorry i can't help your gf over council tax business if she doesnt qualify for rebate - hope it all gets sorted out.

Have u told her about this site? Could help her with bills she could reduce bills on (eg groceries) boards i would reccommend are marriage/relationship good food shopping thread on it & money saving old-style. If gf hasn't got internet access could she look at your place or perhaps you could print off any relevant pages for her.
Good Luck

simonfr

Thanks to all the people who have given their support. ;D ;D ;D Im an avid MoneySaver, Spendless, and she knows about the site and she does do moneysaving things and the like.
Because she is on a low income, she cant get the best of financial products, like the 0% cards. Anyway, she is getting it sorted and is feeling a bit happier.

To those who tell her just to pay it and stop moaning, well i have told her to just leech off the state, have another 3 kids, and take everything going. :-X
That way you can pay more taxes (Income and Council and any other taxes you like) so you can get true value for your money. You guys should get a job with the council........

I suspect Robert, you have never been told you have too much money to qualify, like Council Tax, kids College Bursaries, or even Working Family Tax credit. But im sure it will come..... then you'll start moaning. :'( :'(

Simon

trafalgar_2

If she has "too much spare money" then why not pay the council tax bill?  ... or am I missing something here?

You only need to go a small amount over (doesn't mean you have enough to pay it and not suffer)but you are then liable to pay the whole council tax..................it's just the way it works

Spendless

If she has "too much spare money" then why not pay the council tax bill? ... or am I missing something here?

If all of us had too much spare money i'm sure we wouldn't be on this site. As simon rightly says this can go way up the income levels being told you don't qualify for such and such. We are caught by a similar trap ourselves though we have quite a good income. I was making this point on another thread recently. We are a family of 4, hubby works I don't but due to hubbys company car we are highly taxed on income and have a lower take home pay, but it was hubby earns that is taken into account for qualifying for anything, not what he fetches home each month. It means we don't qualify for anything other than child benefit and £10.40 (in total) in CTC. If I worked the money would just go on child-minding fees and cos hubby works late and away unable to get evening job.

I sympathise with your gf situation Simon and put in same position myself would have fed & clothed kids 1st.

BTW has she looked into anything she could get due to being in receipt of WFTC &CTC. A single mum I know who works gets free(or maybe cheap - not sure) use of swimming baths. I assume this varies council to council. Might not pay for council tax bill, but might cheer her up.
Good Luck, let us know how she gets on.

scattycat_3

Simon,
good luck, I sympathise as a Council Tax sufferer, thanks to Mr Browns reluctance to put up income tax, more and more of the tax burden is being transferred to Council Tax, to save on central funds. Because it is not in the national view, nor governed by cost of living rises. Police and fire service charges have gone up by 25% here this year. Councils have managed 7 to 11%+ too. I wont bother you with my probs, but my local tax went up by a third, I complained and they sent two "investigators "round to say, pay or goto jail. Which is slightly amusing as you dont pay if you are in jail, BUT the debt still stands.
Makes Poll tax look fair now ::)

I presume the 25% discount is because your girlfriend is living alone with her child. I thought you could work 16 hours without it affecting benefit. Get her to check Council Benefit details as they vary with location, I take it she is on top of what she can claim from national agencies.
She must face up to the problem as it wont go away unfortunately, and it must have gone to court for them to be able to take money from her account. It will be a cat and mouse game with her as the mouse, but dont give up. Try to keep one step ahead of them getting at the income by moving it around, though in the end I think they can apply to take money from her employer, but not all.
She must negotiate and explain her circumstances, as at the moment they seem to assume she has deliberately REFUSED to pay, by her avoiding the issue. In our area if they send out two reminders they can demand the full amount in one go. So this situation is not uncommon.

Good Luck and note maybe she should study instead of work, as STUDENTS are exempt.

Scat