Council Tax Overpayment Query

Deep_Ocean · 20 October 2012 at 12:58PM

Hi,

I wondered if anybody would be able to offer me any advice on my Council Tax bill.

My bill is broken down as follows:

25% Discount - Single Adult Occupier - 03 May 2009 to 20 Sep 2009 - £94.16

Exemption Adjustment - £110.88

Discount Adjustment - £13.52

Charge for Period - Band B - 01 Apr 2012 to 31 March 2013 - £989.85

25% Discount - Student - 01 Apr 2012 - 29 Jun 2012 - -£61.02

Benefit - 29 Aug 2011 - 31 Mar 2012 - £92.79

Benefit overpayment for period 12 Sep 2011 to 31 Jan 2012 - £239.79

Payments Received As At Date Of Issue - -£276.39

Total Amount due - £1203.58

My living situation historically has been as follows:

I was working full time up until 31 August 2009 at the age of 27.
My partner moved in with me (private, mortgaged property) in April 2009 (She was 18, in full time college, and worked 8 hours a week).
Me and my partner both started full time university from September 2009. I did not work during this time but my partner continued to work 8 hours a week.
I graduated from uni on 19th Aug 2011 but was unemployed until 14th February 2012
My partner graduated from university in June 2012 and continues to work part time (about 16 hours a week on minimum wage).
My partner is pregnant with our first child, baby is due in March 2013.

My queries regarding my bill are as follows:

Should I have been entitled to 25% single adult occupier between May 2009 - Sep 2009, or is it correct for the council to recliam this as an overpaid amount? My income was around £18,500pa and my partner was 8 hours pw at whatever minimum wage was at that point.
I graduated from uni on 19th August 2011 and was unemployed for nearly 6 months until 14th February 2012. Based on my JSA and my partners loan, the benefits office are adamant that we should have been paying full council tax at this time. Is it correct that they are reclaiming council tax overpayment for this?
On top of this bill I am also having to repay £800 in housing benefit which I was not entitled to either. According to the benefits office JSA and the full student loan is enough to live on and we should not have been entitled to any housing benefits or council tax benefits.
I have previously appealed their decision but lost the appeal.
I am now working full time on £8ph and my partner is on a zero hour contract and expecting a baby in March 2012, we are been forced to repay £300 per month in total to cover the overpayments.

Does everything seem correct to you guys? I just wanted a 3rd party to clarify that they are correct in case they have made a mistake.

Thanks in advance.

CIS · 20 October 2012 at 1:25PM

Should I have been entitled to 25% single adult occupier between May 2009 - Sep 2009

You should have been awarded the discount for this period You are entitled to a 25% discount as she was at college but you need to check to see if they given you the discount because of this or because they thought you were the only person in the property. Your wage doesn't affect council tax discounts (although it would affect any council tax benefit).

Is it correct that they are reclaiming council tax overpayment for this?

Its quite possible depending on your income.

If you partner was still a student after you left you uni you should be claiming a 25% discount whilst your partner was still a student from Aug 11 to June 12.

Me and my partner both started full time university from September 2009

You should be awarded a Class N exemption from Sept 2009 to Aug 2011.

CIS · 20 October 2012 at 1:31PM

I would recommend that you back to the council tax section and check that the following council tax discounts / exemptions have been applied:

Apr 2009 - Sep 2009 25% discount as partner was at college.
Sep 2009 - Aug 2011 Class N exemption as you were both students
Aug 2011 - Jun 2012 25% discount as you were at uni

Deep_Ocean · 20 October 2012 at 6:01PM

Thank you both for the above responses. I will look into your comments.

Many thanks.

CAB_National_Representative · 22 October 2012 at 11:42AM

Hi there - if you want further advice on this, we'd recommend that you contact your local bureau, especially as our advisers often have direct contacts with the different departments within their local council.

Council Tax Overpayment Query

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