Council Tax And Benefit Reforms

[nailit]

I am currently receiving ESA benefits. With the new benefit reforms now coming into place I now find that out of my benefits I now have to find over £200 a year council tax and a further £11 a week bedroom tax. As I am already living at a very basic level ( I havnt been able to afford to have my heating on over the winter and have actually sat in the library to keep warm) by buying the cheapest food and making do with clothes that are nearly threadbare, I dont know how Im supposed to pay these extra charges, Im barley surviving now.
What would happen if I didnt (couldnt) pay the council tax?

[nailit]

Thanks EDDIE, I will try and get in touch with CAB but doubt I will be eligble for DLA as im only just hanging on to my ESA.
hc, thanks for link but I live in stoke on trent, not stafford

[bednobs]

even more in stoke http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E1271&insId=1&maxPrice=400&;minBedrooms=1&maxBedrooms=1&displayPropertyType=flats&oldDisplayPropertyType=flats&googleAnalyticsChannel=renting

[cassa333]

What is your rent at the moment? and how much of that is paid by hb?

[nailit]

cassa, rent is about £75 p/w
Thanks for link bednobs, but even if I did downgrade that would still leave me with £200+ a year to find in council tax that I havnt got and leaves my son without a bedroom.

[emmie]

if you didn't then you would be in trouble, suggest you get immediate advice from the CAB, and the local authority... these changes are effecting me, and i have the same problem, not sure if can afford the extra..

[cazzz1975]

if you get really stuck, have a look at the local food banks, you can get a voucher from the CAB

http://stokeontrent.foodbank.org.uk/

[DJHawkes]

have you applied for a discretionary housing payment? My youngest son works 20 hours a week and has been awarded housing benefit and discretionary housing benefit until may but after that he loses it all as they are stopping housing benefit to anyone under 35 that works part time. Not sure what they expect people under 35 to do as every job available here is part-time and without working tax credit noone could live. He's applied for WTC and been awarded that now he is over 25 but the whole thing is crazy. I don't get why there is the under 35 threshhold at all.

[DJHawkes]

as for being in trouble if you can't pay your council tax, i think you'll be one of millions in the same boat, the CAB are inundated i imagine, charities will be inundated too. I wish you luck with it all but don't be scared to tell the council you're in poverty, they have to act when you tell them you are in hardship.

[nailit]

Thanks for replies guys, guess it wont be long before the workhouse makes a comeback.
Its been suggested that I take in a lodger (and take up my sons bed...great). Wonder if Mr Cameron has a spare bedroom I could move into? Or maybe one of the many hundreds of spare bedrooms the royals have?

[Buenchico]

I'm confused as to how a high-rise flat (with only one occupier), with a fairly low rent, can have such a high (discounted) council tax bill.

I'm on JSA (which pays the same as ESA), living in a Band A property, with the 25% single occupancy reduction. Like you, Nailit, I was receiving full CTB but I now have to pay a reduced Council Tax bill. However my bill is only for £37.66.

Perhaps you should
(a) check that you're getting the 25% single occupancy reduction ; and
(b) ask your council to check their figures.

Chris

[nailit]

chris, where I live is one of (if not the highest) council tax charges in the country.
My bill is..
£952.47
-£238.12 25% discount for singe person occupancy
-£500.05 council tax support
£214.30 to pay.

[cathfromsaron]

first they would deduct the money owed regularly from your benefits ... why not apply for a smaller place which is cheaper to heat and rent?

cath x

[nailit]

chris
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/City-council-benefit-cuts-highest-country/story-18022337-detail/story.html#axzz2O6B7fZoI

[nailit]

cath, please read previous posts and links, there are NO smaller places.

[bednobs]

nailit, how often does your son stay? What does he do for a living?

[bednobs]

also, meant to say is there any possibility of work at all?

[EDDIE51]

bednobs , Stoke on Trent has some of the highest jobless rates in the country and nalit has severe mental health problems. I would rate his chance of a job as close to zero.

[bednobs]

ok, one can but try though