Money, Benefits and Council Tax help please?

Question

Hi any help or guidance would be superb.

This is our situation.

There is me and my partner and out 2 children, a boy aged 4 and girl aged 3

My partner works as a chef in a nursing home and get £5.81 per hour and works 25 hours a week. I stay home and look after the kids, as my daughter is 3 she is not at school and my son aged 4 is only in morning nursery

We get on average £470 per 4 weeks from the nursing home for working

we get £31 child benefit per week

and we get £174 working tax credit per week

our rent is £440 per 4 weeks

we have just recieved a council tax bill for £997 and just cannot afford to pay it.

Is there any other help we are entitled too, or are we pretty much getting our full quota of benefits.

Are we entitled to council tax benefit as we are classed as being on a low income?

Answer 1

Go to the council immediately. Once you get into the courts system, one tends to be on a roller coaster and things will only get worse.  Many councils are not the ogres they are painted and will try to help you with different payment plans.  They may well ask you to do a means test but if you have nothing to hide, this should not worry you.  I cannot stress strongly enough, you must contact your council now.  The reason you have received a bill, which I would think is for the year, is because you have failed to pay an or some installments this year.  If you fail, then payment for the whole year becomes collectable.  If there is still a problem, visit the Citizens Advice Bureau.  Don't just hope it will go away, it won't.

Answer 2

It looks as though you should qualify for both housing and council tax benefit. I am assuming that your rent will not be restricted by the local authority (eg if it is way beyond the average of your area), also I am unsure if the 997 figure you gave is for a complete year. But yes you qualify thus:

Your Income is wage 117.50 + 174 tax credits = 291.50

Child benefit is ignored

Your 'Applicable amount" for housing benefit/CTB is:

Family 16.45

Couple 92.80

child*2 94.90

Total AA 204.12

Your Eligible weekly rent (barring assumption above is wrong) is 110 per week

your income exceeds  your applicable amount by 87.37 therefore deduct 65% = 56.79

Eligiable rent of 110 - 56.70 = Housing benefit of 44.21 per week

Council tax (based on 997 p.a.) = weekly liability 19.17

minus 20 % of excess income = 17.47

19.17 - 17.47 = 1.70 Council tax Benefit

Housing Benefit of 44.21 and council tax benefit of 1.70

Put in a claim

Your bill is likely to have been because you have arrears, put in  a claim to Housing Benefit and councult Tax benefit, go see the council tell them that now this is in you will be able to meet your new liability and offer 20 four weekly towrads arrears

Edit    Bugger.....just realised I used last years rates, so figure are not exact, the difference wouldn't be much different either way so still good to go

Edit (Again) this years figures Applicable amount is

Couple 94.95

Family 16.75

child*2 105.18

AA 216.88

excess = Income (291.50) - AA (216.88) = 74.62

65% for HB = 48.50

20% for CTb= 14.93

Housing Benefit = 110 - 48.50 = 61.50

Council tax Benefit 19.17 - 14.93 = 4.24

so you will save 65.74 per week, not bad for just asking a question

Christine above advice is sound except that council revenue staff are mostly ogres LOL

Answer 3

I think Joker is on the right lines but I have to say that the calculation is not quite right.  The applicable amount looks ok but the income figures are incorrect as child benefit, Tax Credits and the earnings regard have been ommitted.

It would be helpful to know what the Council Tax Bill referred to.  Also whetther you are a private tenant or Council/Housing Association. Roughly I would say you may get some help with Council Tax (pennies per week).  Also  Housing Benefit as well.

I think it would be worth a claim afterall what have you got to lose