To think this is wrong re Council tax

[Dryjuice25]

I had a letter from the council to say now I will be paying council tax, whereas I didn't have to do this previously as I haven't got gainful employment. I have young children.I also have debts and I'm currently studying for exams.

I feel this is unfair and it's effectively a 10% benefit cut. Anyone agree? I have not seen this on the news so I think it's beingdone sneakily as this might cause an uproar with the unemployed who already live in poverty having their income cut this way whilst big corporations getaway with paying very litle or no tax at all due to various tax loopholes. I have 3 kids and a newborn. I get CTC two of the children and ex claim for one of the children. I am desperate for a job I could ask any mumsnetters to pm me with any flexible or child friendly job offers please and very angry to have my benefit cut in a sneaky way like this and there is nothng I can do about it.

Anyoone got any letters like this?AIBU to be angry about this? I don't mind paying for council tax although its a pain in the bum but dontexpect a tax demand on income support!!

Please flame me not

[Dryjuice25]

Bruised I hear you. The ex is rubbish. He effectively asked to claim for that child because he needs to live off this money! He does nothing for this child with that money and I'm beginning to resent this lately. Its so unfair and it puts me under much pressure as it's now down to me to financially look after all 3 DCS financial needs.

[Loulybelle]

If he does nothing for the child, then hes committing fraud complaining for the child. Money goes to the RP.

[Dryjuice25]

Orwellian I see you haven't read the whole thread. I claim for 2 of the 3 dcs.Ex claim for one of the dcs. And I have sympathy for low paid workers.I was one of those once but I never complained about paying my way.I am complaining on behalf of the really struggling unemployed families and I am hearding that way myself and in general agaist the principle

[Loulybelle]

*claiming, what a divvy

[crashdoll]

In your OP, you said it was unfair that you have to pay because you are unemployed.

[pedrohedges]

I went from getting £18 per week council tax benefit to £1.01. Fair enough, i'm using the services. But i work 25 hours a week.
My mate is on income support and she's still getting all hers paid for her. That's not fair imo. We all need to be pitching in.

[Softlysoftly]

You have no savings, you just have debts you are choosing not to bother paying off, and clearly got into trouble with if they are having to deduct from your benefits . Which btw makes no sense as interest on savings is sweet fanny Adamsatm but interest in debt is high.

have no savings they disappeared during a redundancy where I chose to stay home with dd1 and didn't claim jsa as I had savings to live off and didn't feel justified charging the tax payer.

Working part time now with a council tax bill of £169 a month.

Just saying. ........

[RedHelenB]

If ex has the children 50% of the time I don't think it unfair he claims for one of them given he needs a place to live, to heat it for them, feed them etc.

[LIZS]

Surely it is your choice to allow ex to claim the CB - why should the state then sub your CT. Who claims for your newborn ?

[IneedAsockamnesty]

Savings would not be above 16k because no ESA/IS would be payable if that were the case.

Op answer the question how much did you have in savings and how much now?

Nobody can help you unless you actually tell us.

And whilst I'm on the subject does your ex really have kids 50% or does he just like to say he does,and what does he fund towards these kids?

[Purple2012]

You must be getting more than you say. You didnt mention your housing benefit which i assume you must be getting as you pay £80 to top it up. Based on what you have said you get a week you are paying less than 2% of the money you claim on council tax.

[ENormaSnob]

Yabu

And your op is very misleading.

[CloudsAndTrees]

Wtf are you doing with a newborn when you can't even pay your own council tax?

Don't you realise how manny essential things are paid for our of council tax? Sorry, but providing essential caring services for elderly and disabled people, for police to be on our streets, for the fire service, for respite for carers, is more important than you paying your debts and having children you clearly can't afford to have.

You have convinced yourself that you are paying or your children because your ex won't, but you are no better than him. You aren't paying for them, everyone else who has to work is paying for them, and now you have the cheek to complain that you are being asked to pay a pittance towards your own council tax?

[Dawndonna]

Wtf are you doing with a newborn when you can't even pay your own council tax?
What business is that of yours, how fucking rude!

[Dawndonna]

Oh, and I've lost my respite due to cutbacks and dh has lost his disability services, but they're not really penalising those who are at the bottom of the food chain, are they.

[CloudsAndTrees]

How is it rude? It's a valid question. It would be rude if she were paying for her own children, but as she isn't, it's valid.

If you want other people to pay for your lack of common sense, and then you want to post on the internet about how unfair it is that you are expected to use some of your other free money to pay your own tax, then you have to expect the people that pay for that to comment.

[manticlimactic]

I knew about the cut to CT benefit months ago. I got a letter. I work pt and pay some CT so I've been paying a fiver more a month since I received the letter so I'd have a bit of a cushion when it stops completely.

[Bowlersarm]

Dawndonna re your post addressed to clouds - as the OP has invited people to agree with her about her situation, i think it is only fair that people are allowed to disagree with her without being told it's none of their business-the whole point surely is that it is to do with her situation, and it is that which she is asking for comments about!

[zeeboo]

OP why is your IS a reduced amount? Have you been sanctioned or are you still earning £20 a week? Because the figure you've given is not a correct IS entitlement unless there are other circumstances that you haven't yet mentioned.

[Babymamaroon]

Why should I have to move Dawn? Why should I have to change my lifestyle to pay for other people's lifestyles?! Utter craziness. Oh and if what I pay is nothing - are you offering to pay it for me? No. So pipe down please.

[Astley]

If the ex has 50/50 custody why wouldn't/shouldn't he get some CB?

[cloudy99]

Well I think you are in a difficult situation. However, my sister was made redundant many years ago. She claimed jsa for 6 months and than of course received nothing for a while as she received a reduncy payment. Many years later all the money is gone and she is surviving on £71 a week less cost of travelling to sign on. They closed local job centre. She received a letter saying she has to pay. It was worded along the lines of we can't possibly charge people with dc under 5 or disabled so you will have to subside them.
Her bills alone are about £1400 per year so she will struggle.

[ChoudeBruxelles]

Its because the government has cuts councils budgets at the same time as allowing councils to set their own council tax support schemes.

I'm surprised you haven't heard anything before now - where I work we've been writing to people in receipt of benefits for ages to say things are changing. And stuff about universal credit is all over the news

[Mandy2003]

I got no letter from my Council saying payments less than £5 pw Council Tax Support would not be paid.

I am not sure where mortgage interest will fit into UC - anyone know?

[SamuelAndOscarsMummy]

You say you are studying for exams but I am a student too and have council tax exemption for this reason, can you not get this? :)