Council Tax

When_the_going_gets_tough

Councils will automatically send overdue accounts for a liability order and extra costs are then added. They probably don't have the discretion to avoid this unless the account is paid by the end of March. I think your options are borrow the money from elsewhere, cut other spending or accept that you will get a liability order. The only thing you could do is turn up for the court hearing and try and persuade them not to grant it.

ripplyuk

Could you get a 0% credit card to pay it? It would get the council off your back and you can clear the card whenever suits you.

MissBehave86

booksurr wrote: »

OK, fair enough. Then the best they should offer is a payment plan which means you will clear the debt in full by the end of March. No council in today's world will allow you to go over into next year as part of an initial offer. If you do go over then expect their attitude to harden dramatically and for you to be taken to court for non payment.

Sorry if you are struggling with money, but you need to revisit your budget and prioritise food, council tax, rent (if applic) in that order, everything else comes after until you have your finances stable again.

I do have council tax rent etc prioritised. It has taken me around 6 years to recover from issues that started this whole ball rolling. From being in a job with a 0 hour contract (after being on the sick - had been on a 20 hour contract before that) since roughly September 2011. To present day being employed by a well known company on a semi decent wage - but having to rely on overtime to survive month to month. I only moved to be closer to work reduce costs elsewhere (fuel etc) and I feel like I am teetering on the edge of burying my head again and going back to square one - however I have come too far to even contemplate doing that. Hence the posting in here to find out what I can do/where I stand. I have offered to send them my budget etc, but that has not been requested...

December and January I couldn't get to pick up much extra shifts because of moving. This is why I needed to use January's allocated amount to CT for food etc. This pay is the last one where I won't have extras. I have issues with my personal tax code currently also. It's not like I am living in luxury either - I have no carpets down, I haven't decorated. I am back to working a minimum of 70 hours per week. (which I wont benefit from until March pay). My partner is looking for work, and has done for the last 5 years - he may have a job, but they seem to be dragging their heels with start dates and information etc. So until that is confirmed we are relying on my wage only. I have a condition called Fibromyalgia, which is worse with stress, anxiety and cold temperatures. I can not remember the last time I had some leisure time (pictures, night out, weekend away, holiday etc) or bought myself some new clothes, that I had to do with out something else to afford. Because I earn too much I am not entitled to any help. My partner isn't entitled to any help because I earn too much... It is a vicious circle

I know I didn't have to go into that much detail, but I feel backed into a corner, just by asking for a little bit of help. Maybe I worded wrong what information I actually wanted. As I am not the best of explaining things. But I feel like I have been jumped on at all angles.

MissBehave86

ripplyuk wrote: »

Could you get a 0% credit card to pay it? It would get the council off your back and you can clear the card whenever suits you.

I would love to be able to, but my credit rating is rediculously crap because of other debts because of the problems I have had previously. I am not even able to get a bank account other then a "basic" one

MissBehave86

This is thing as well... I am not saying I am not paying it. I will be. Just not the full amount in the timescale they want it. How can they take me to court for non payment when it will be getting paid....

fed_up_and_stressed

MissBehave86 wrote: »

This is thing as well... I am not saying I am not paying it. I will be. Just not the full amount in the timescale they want it. How can they take me to court for non payment when it will be getting paid....

Because you won't have paid it at a timescale agreed with them. You will be in default

MissBehave86

fed_up_and_stressed wrote: »

Because you won't have paid it at a timescale agreed with them. You will be in default

OK that makes more sense for being in default, but not for non payment... thanks

CIS

I used to live in Gateshead, and Gateshead council never gave me this much trouble... I understand they are different councils, but a little bit of understanding would be helpful. I'm not asking her to pay it for me, or turn a blind eye, just be a little on the sympathetic side, and give a little bit more time to pay... Where do I stand on this? Or do I need to do with out food for the next couple of months?

Gateshead are usually fine to deal with (they are also my local authority.)

As others have pointed out there is no requirement to give any dispensation over and above the statutory requirement.

Where they are giving only 1 instalment (as it's after Jan and they're using the '10 instalment' statutory scheme) then you would usually have had some leeway by swapping to a '12 month' scheme however this is also too late to assist you this year.

If you don't make the full payment as shown on the demand notice then you will lose the right to pay by instalments. Unless you can clear the balance in full then the council will proceed to issue a court summons, whether you are making some payments or not doesn't matter at that stage.

Craig