Council Tax Credit and illness

cookie666

I and my partner while not on OTT earnings, had a decent combined income of around £75K, however, she is currently undergoing treatment for cancer and is on long-term sick leave, she's now on a reduced income (66%) and a friend mentioned we could claim for reduced Council Tax.

I've emailed the council to ask the basic question and had no reply but received a thick booklet with no covering letter to fill in, however, I'm guessing our combined salary still means we'll be above any threshold.

I'm keen to try and reduce our outgoings as much as possible so that this is not an area of stress on my partner. So want to explore any options but don't want to fill out form after form to be declined when a quick "no" at the start would have helped..

Alice_Holt

Try a benefits calculator:
https://www.entitledto.co.uk/

I'm guessing our combined salary still means we'll be above any threshold.- I would guess so, too

How about PIP?
Do you have access to a Macmillan worker?
https://www.macmillan.org.uk/

cookie666

What's PIP?

BorisThomson

It depends on what proportion of the household income comes from your wife, you need to look at what your current household income is, not what it was previously.

Alice_Holt

cookie666 wrote: »

What's PIP?

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/

Also look at the link I posted earlier:
https://www.macmillan.org.uk/

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/organising/benefits-and-financial-support/disability-related-benefits/personal-independence-payment.html

cookie666

My wife's salary was making up for about 63% of our total income, this will around 50% after the reduction, just waiting on final figures from her employer, I'm not pleading poverty by any means but our outgoings will swallow up both our salaries for the time being and if I can cut costs all the better.

Alice_Holt

Council Tax is a means tested benefit. On c.£59k household income, you wouldn't be eligible.

cookie666

Cheers, thanks for the assist.

marliepanda

cookie666 wrote: »

My wife's salary was making up for about 63% of our total income, this will around 50% after the reduction, just waiting on final figures from her employer, I'm not pleading poverty by any means but our outgoings will swallow up both our salaries for the time being and if I can cut costs all the better.

I sympathise with your wife's condition, however you are not on a low income. Even if you halved your income, you wouldn't be on a low income, which is what council tax reduction is for.

If your current salaries don't cover your outgoings, I suggest you head over to the 'Debt Free Wannabe' forum (you dont need to be in debt for that!) to work out where you can make cost cutting changes to your budget to keep things afloat during this time.

[Deleted User]

You could get help here with cutting your outgoings
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=76