Council Tax & The Armed Forces

Fat_Boy

Hi,

Whilst wandering around the Forum I came across a thread on Council Tax which led me to look at CT exemptions. It would appear that HM Forces personnel are exept, indefinitely, from paying CT on Married Quarters however I pay (currently) ~£76/month. This money is deducted at source not by my local authority.

Before I approach my Pay Authority on Monday for clarification on this issue, does anyone on here have any expertise on these matters?

Having lived in a Married Quarter for 4 years now I'll buy you all a beer if I get this money back!! LOL :beer:

BTW - I'm sure the smilie I've used is supposed to be animated, but it's static on my comp, any ideas?

reddevilled

I thought the exemption was only if you were away from your home on armed forces duty. That was the way I'd read it anyway

elvis_bloggs

Right I'm not an expert but.........your smiley looks animated to me.

mbamick

Fat_Boy wrote:

Before I approach my Pay Authority on Monday for clarification on this issue, does anyone on here have any expertise on these matters?

Hi Fat Boy.
You are quite right, insofar that MOD properties are exempt from Council Tax, simply because they are owned by the Crown. Unfortunately, for you anyway, the MOD thought it only equitable that UK-based personnel pay a Contribution in Lieu of Council Tax (CILOCT). NO doubt, you'll see CILOCT on your monthly pay statement.

Here is an extract from the 2002 Armed Forces Pay Review Report:
"5.28 At MOD’s request and in the interest of clarity about charges, we repeat the description of the system for Contribution in Lieu of Council Tax (CILOCT). Service personnel living in Service families Accommodation and Single Living-in Accommodation in Great Britain are exempt from the normal Council Tax regime; instead MOD pays contributions in lieu of the Council Tax to local authorities under an agreement with the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions. The amount is broadly equivalent to the amount of Council Tax which would otherwise have been due. The costs incurred for occupied properties are recovered from individuals through CILOCT according to type of property and are payable with accommodation charges. The system allows a uniform payment wherever personnel are posted, including overseas. In Northern Ireland CILOCT is not paid, however, because domestic rates are still in force. An average amount for rates is reflected in the calculation of the specially reduced Northern Ireland
accommodation charge."

Whilst I agree with the MOD, in respect of UK-based Service personnel paying Council Tax :T , I'm still very disappointed that no way forward has been made in respect of abating CILOCT whilst serving overseas. :mad:

Maybe this is the issue that you need to raise with your local Admin Office? Mind you, I think that you'd have more joy by penning a letter to Soldier Magazine. It'll raise awareness, and usually gets an answer from those responsible for sorting it out.

Hope that helps.

Fat_Boy

Thanks for clearing that up mbamick, I thought it was too good to be true that I might get some money back! That said it would make our rates of pay a bit more attrative if we didn't have to pay On my Pay Statement it is listed as Council Tax, maybe if they changed it it might avoid confusion!

You are right to say about writing to Soldier Magazine (or in my case RAF News!), recently a challenge was made against daily payments we had to make in respect of Travelcards issued to those of us who work in Central London, a nice saving was made when they had to scrap it, though no doubt they'll figure something out soon

Elvis_Bloggs - all the smilies on this site are static on my home comp, I must have buggered something up in interent options - I'll post on the Techie Board.

mbamick

Thanks Fat Boy. Hope you didn't take offence to my assumption that you were Green rather than Light Blue!

I think that there are a whole raft of MOD policies that wouldn't stand too closer scrutiny. Mandatory membership of Messes for SNCOs & Officers would undoubtedly breech the Human Rights Act; similarly the mandatory deduction of food charges from an individuals monthly pay takes no account of the amount of meals that the individual eats; sticking with the food issue, the different daily rates of food charge for married and single living-in personnel is discriminatory, and an action against the MOD would most probably succeed.

The only problem is that anyone taking such an action is likely to get posted to the back of beyond for the remainder of his service; and not many people want that. So heads stay below the parapet!!

An interesting area though; thanks for that.

oh_heck

mbamick wrote:

similarly the mandatory deduction of food charges from an individuals monthly pay takes no account of the amount of meals that the individual eats; sticking with the food issue, the different daily rates of food charge for married and single living-in personnel is discriminatory, and an action against the MOD would most probably succeed.

on the first part ,they can't really mess about with how many meals a day each individual wants,but I do agree that the same rate should be charged for married or single........living-in

Fat_Boy

On the food issue, Pay As You Dine is now (slowly) rolling out across the Services. That said I have no idea if it will work out more expensive than the current arrangements - but at ~£3.30 for three squares a day it's not bad value (though the quality isn't always that great!).

On the point about single and married personnel paying different rates, isn't the thinking that a married person is (in the main) more likely to have other bills to pay (leccy/gas etc oh and CILOCT ). I know it's an outmoded way of thinking, but as mentioned above PAYD would sort that discrepency out.

Early next year, under the Joint Personnel Administration scheme, there will be a general sorting out of allowances across the board, though I won't hold my breath on enlisted personnel getting the same Disturbance Alowance as their Officer bretherin!!

Time to get off my soapbox before I really get going!!