Facing a tight budget

calcotti

Robbie64 said:

It largely depends on what council area you live in. Some councils are quite generous with what they expect people on means tested benefits to pay while others are the opposite. I'm on ESA (income related) and would normally be expected to pay about £5 a month but the £500m one-off payment (linked to COVID-19) that the Government gave to all councils to pass on to Council Tax payers who are already in receipt of Council Tax Support has reduced my Council Tax bill to £0 for 2020/21. The payment the Government made was given with guidance that Council Tax bills be reduced by up to £150 per person where CTS is in payment. Did you get a revised CT bill? It may be that your council has yet to re-bill everyone.

I had forgotten about the extra deduction for this year in response to COVID. You are right that many more will therefore have 100% Reduction this year.

poppy12345

Robbie64 said:

poppy12345 said:

Robbie64 said:

Have you not heard anything back from the Council Tax people? Based on your circumstances (assuming you have no-one else living in your household) it is possible that your Council Tax will be reduced to zero while you are on UC and have no other income coming in.

I live in England and claim ESA/PIP and my council tax is about £11 per month. I also receive the single person discount.

It largely depends on what council area you live in. Some councils are quite generous with what they expect people on means tested benefits to pay while others are the opposite. I'm on ESA (income related) and would normally be expected to pay about £5 a month but the £500m one-off payment (linked to COVID-19) that the Government gave to all councils to pass on to Council Tax payers who are already in receipt of Council Tax Support has reduced my Council Tax bill to £0 for 2020/21. The payment the Government made was given with guidance that Council Tax bills be reduced by up to £150 per person where CTS is in payment. Did you get a revised CT bill? It may be that your council has yet to re-bill everyone.

Thanks for that, i totally forgot about that. I didn't receive any revised council tax bill so i'm going to ring my local council first thing Monday morning and ask about this.

Robbie64

poppy12345 said:

Robbie64 said:

poppy12345 said:

Robbie64 said:

Have you not heard anything back from the Council Tax people? Based on your circumstances (assuming you have no-one else living in your household) it is possible that your Council Tax will be reduced to zero while you are on UC and have no other income coming in.

I live in England and claim ESA/PIP and my council tax is about £11 per month. I also receive the single person discount.

It largely depends on what council area you live in. Some councils are quite generous with what they expect people on means tested benefits to pay while others are the opposite. I'm on ESA (income related) and would normally be expected to pay about £5 a month but the £500m one-off payment (linked to COVID-19) that the Government gave to all councils to pass on to Council Tax payers who are already in receipt of Council Tax Support has reduced my Council Tax bill to £0 for 2020/21. The payment the Government made was given with guidance that Council Tax bills be reduced by up to £150 per person where CTS is in payment. Did you get a revised CT bill? It may be that your council has yet to re-bill everyone.

Thanks for that, i totally forgot about that. I didn't receive any revised council tax bill so i'm going to ring my local council first thing Monday morning and ask about this.

Yeah, my local council only got around to sending out revised bills 3 weeks ago so some councils are a bit slow getting around to doing this. The fact is that they've had the extra money since the beginning of April so basically they were sitting on that money for over two months while doing nothing with it.

Irenadler

Hello all
Just to update on Council Tax. I only applied for CT support last weekend (I think, memory can be a bit hazy!) and on their web-site it says at least 2 weeks to process. But I won't be surprised if it takes longer with all the new U.C. claims. 

If my brain was firing on all cylinders, I would/should have applied for C.T.S. when having to claim U.C. back in March. I should have applied for that earlier as my last wage was January (that was about 2/3's of my average wage as out of sick pay and SSP); only received about £200 odd quid in February as a tax refund... Brain fog.....

If I receive any additional help from CT I will post an update on here, so, anyone else struggling with finances/mental health issues might hopefully be encouraged and not despair. They might not feel confident enough to post, but, my efforts via everyone's encouragement and advice might help them with the same questions and concerns. 
It feels so horrible that you have failed to keep your job, when you are struggling mentally, losing your income, and then having to force yourself to fill out forms which are very personal, showing you are so poor, and mine was particularly horrible as it was like re-living things I would rather forget.... A whole ordeal in itself. 

I had to go to a community centre just to get the encouragement to apply for U,C. as I did not know what else to do, going to Job Centre just felt too intimidating. Once it was done, and at that time J.C. was open, I took ID in and it was processed. I don't think I was mentally ready to cope with it any earlier, but, sadly that was to my own financial detriment. If I hadn't had family help, I know I would be in massive overdraft debt by now (at 39.9%), with little to no chance of getting out of it. And mentally I dread to think where I would be. Sorry to wibble on but, none of you realise that 'simple' financial advice actually helps in a whole lot more other ways....

As a side note, I know a lot of the info everyone has sign-posted me to is already on the main MSE topics, however, there is so much info and I was so stressed I felt over-whelmed (and also, felt that a little with all the advice people had for me). Effectively, you have all baby-stepped me through a money make-over which I felt too daunted to start myself. Apologies if I have missed anyone's advice, it has taken me a long time to go through it and reply, I hope you understand. 

Er, did I mention my gratitude? Here it is again: Thank you! 

Irenadler

Hello All!
It has happened!
I have been awarded an 80% Council Tax discount (now called Council Tax Support). As I have already paid 40% - ish, they are also refunding me around £200 odd back, can't quite believe it. 

No more CT to pay this financial year, unless I am fortunate enough to have an improvement to my circumstances, what a relief for now! Sending you all out virtual hugs, happy dance, and I am virtually leaping about the room..

            
I cannot believe how much has changed since my initial post. I was looking at surviving on £9 a week, and what could I possibly sell, my first change was the gas/electric, and thanks to everyone's wonderful help and advice on here, I will potentially have around £55-57 per week to actually buy groceries with, and may be actually able to save a bit from this too.... Incredible isn't the word.  THANK YOU EVERYONE; And to those of you feeling too shy to post, PLEASE POST, don't let the worry gnaw away at you if you are struggling, as I was, it is worth fighting the nerves, and the worry that no-one can help, because the kind folk on here have proved they can help you, and can take you by the hand, fact by fact. YOU CAN DO IT TOO!

Sending out good vibes to each and every one of you, and please know, that I will sleep better tonight than I have done in weeks - good on yer!

boomboomshake

Irenadler said:

Hello All!
It has happened!
I have been awarded an 80% Council Tax discount (now called Council Tax Support). As I have already paid 40% - ish, they are also refunding me around £200 odd back, can't quite believe it. 

No more CT to pay this financial year, unless I am fortunate enough to have an improvement to my circumstances, what a relief for now! Sending you all out virtual hugs, happy dance, and I am virtually leaping about the room..

            
I cannot believe how much has changed since my initial post. I was looking at surviving on £9 a week, and what could I possibly sell, my first change was the gas/electric, and thanks to everyone's wonderful help and advice on here, I will potentially have around £55-57 per week to actually buy groceries with, and may be actually able to save a bit from this too.... Incredible isn't the word.  THANK YOU EVERYONE; And to those of you feeling too shy to post, PLEASE POST, don't let the worry gnaw away at you if you are struggling, as I was, it is worth fighting the nerves, and the worry that no-one can help, because the kind folk on here have proved they can help you, and can take you by the hand, fact by fact. YOU CAN DO IT TOO!

Sending out good vibes to each and every one of you, and please know, that I will sleep better tonight than I have done in weeks - good on yer!

Just read your whole thread- I just wanted to say well done for powering thorough- you’ve done fantastically. You sound like such a lovely person. I wish you all the best and hopefully this is the start of many small steps of your life improving and getting back on track. 

All the best 

whizzywoo

@Irenadler I am so pleased to hear of the changes you have been able to make to your finances.  Well done you for not giving up and for not burying your head in the sand.  And thank you for coming back to report what has happened.  It is so nice to hear when advice has been followed and things have turned out well.  Your story will also help other people.  Good luck and my best wishes for your future.

minimad1970

Irenadler, I just wanted to say how refreshing your attitude has been. A lot of people come on here asking for advice, not from me as I don't know enough, but then don't put it into to practice or they don't want to listen. You've taken all the advice given and worked to better your circumstances. I wish you all the best for the future 

Irenadler

Hello again
This might be my final update on here, as I will be trying to save an emergency fund and will be posting on the saving thread, just to show you what my outgoings are now (copy and paste from Excel) and what a difference!
Hope this works:

TV	13.2
INS	30.78
B/B L/L	22.99
GAS/ELEC	72.5
C/TAX	23.02
WATER	41.96
MOBILE	5
TOTAL	209.45

Income        409.89

Leaving £200.44 per month! The council tax is a projection of what I should have been paying from April (ten payments for the year) but, as I had been paying £109 per month they actually are refunding me. I really hope people read this and it helps them too! Thanks again all and keep up the good work 

Spoonie_Turtle

Thank you for updating us, and I agree with the other posters that it's so good to see you've taken everything on board and used it to make such a positive difference! Well done!