Council tax reduction given but only if you apply online !

takman

longforgotten wrote: »

And yes, I don't agree with everyone being expected to do online banking either ! I've already changed banks because I'm tired of them asking me to go to the hole in the wall.....even if I am capable of so doing I don't want to !

On the same note you can't expect to be provided with in branch services just because you refuse to cash machines and online banking for no good reason.

Sometimes people need to be "forced" to use new technology as they are often resistant to change even if those changes would make their life easier.

If someone has a reason they are genuinely unable to use a particular technology or it would cause them unreasonable inconvenience then service providers should provide them with extra help. From my experience the majority of times this does happen.

longforgotten wrote: »

Yes the person I mentioned has been helped because there is no other way!... but that does not make it right.

If the system only allows people to get the discount who register online then even if the council allowed people to do it by phone the person on the phone would simply be helping them to do it aswell, so no different than asking someone else.

longforgotten wrote: »

Oh and the bit about going to library ....I wish you well going to the new Birmingham Library. They spent that much money on it I hear it doesn't open until 11am because they can't afford it, stupid or what !

I don't see how it not opening until 11am makes it much more inconvenient to use. They probably found it wasn't used much before 11am and I'm not surprised because even when the people in the OP were told to go use the library even they didn't. If Library's arnt used then the hours will be reduced and they will eventually be closed. The people who don't have a computer or any kind of tablet or smartphone that can access the internet are most likely to use Library's, so if they arn't using them then who is.

poppasmurf_bewdley

The majority of people we are talking about here will be pensioners and so will have free bus passes, which cannot he used until after 10am, so it’s of no concern to them that a library in the city centre doesn’t open until 11am.

iceboy_2

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

Even in the old days before computers, sending a letter to the council involved leaving home just to post it, even for elderly or disabled people. For those without a phone, they had to leave home to go to a payphone kiosk.

So what's so onerous in leaving your home to use a computer?

And every council requires you to have an account to pay your Council Tax.

What a pompous reply..try something more cruel why don't you..how do you know their condition of mobility before letting rip..you people make me sick.

poppasmurf_bewdley

iceboy wrote: »

What a pompous reply..try something more cruel why don't you..how do you know their condition of mobility before letting rip..you people make me sick.

You people? You people? I’m a pensioner who walks with the aid of a stick!

iceboy_2

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

You people? You people? I’m a pensioner who walks with the aid of a stick!

But you're one aren't you?. You are retired I read.

longforgotten

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_of_Birmingham .... the new library cost an estimated £188.8 million pounds and they can't afford to open at 9am. Again, as I understand it the visitor advice centre is in there too, I suppose holiday makers can hang about outside waiting for it to open. What sort of advert is that for the second biggest city in the UK.


At least you're honest with your term 'forced' to use technology. Lloyds Bank used the term 'educated' with me.


I'll have to beg to differ with takman, we will never agree.


Computers/ internet/robots will be the order of the day unfortunately.

longforgotten

"If the system only allows people to get the discount who register online then even if the council allowed people to do it by phone the person on the phone would simply be helping them to do it aswell, so no different than asking someone else " per takman


It is one thing to share your financial circumstances with the Council that you are actually claiming the benefit from, to share your circumstances with someone else say a friend or stranger is quite another. I would be more than happy if Birmingham Council could help there residents over the phone, the Council exists to provide a service to all it's residents. I don't understand why allowing what is likely to be a small number of residents claim the benefit by filling in a form and therefore keeping their financial circumstances private.

takman

longforgotten wrote: »

"If the system only allows people to get the discount who register online then even if the council allowed people to do it by phone the person on the phone would simply be helping them to do it aswell, so no different than asking someone else " per takman


It is one thing to share your financial circumstances with the Council that you are actually claiming the benefit from, to share your circumstances with someone else say a friend or stranger is quite another. I would be more than happy if Birmingham Council could help there residents over the phone, the Council exists to provide a service to all it's residents. I don't understand why allowing what is likely to be a small number of residents claim the benefit by filling in a form and therefore keeping their financial circumstances private.

Producing forms, posting them out then sorting and processing them onto the system when they get sent back involves a lot more cost and employee time than when people apply online. So i can see why this is something the council want to get away from. So not offering this unless the person is genuinely unable to do it online seems fair to me.

From what you have said the person you have mentioned doesn't seem unable to use the Library Computers but they just seem to not want to. So if someone simply doesn't want to do it online but would be able to (at the library) then i don't see why they should be offered an alternative which results in extra costs for the council.

But if someone was genuinely unable to do it online and the council refused to offer an alternative then i would happily support someone in that situation in making a complaint.