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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Council tax benefit cuts - AIBU to be really worried?

24 replies

PancakeFace · 04/04/2013 08:14

DH earns £22k before tax, I am a SAHM as my wages wouldn't cover childcare. Our council tax has gone up by £1100 a year... We just don't have the money, we can't even afford to go on holiday... Getting really scared about how we are going to pay...

OP posts:
Footface · 04/04/2013 08:16

Why has the amount gone up by so much. We're you getting help before?

Original poster
PancakeFace · 04/04/2013 08:16

I work a shift at the weekend for £20 but if I earn anymore our housing benefit will decrease and we would be in the same position.

OP posts:
BlackAffronted · 04/04/2013 08:17

£22k seems too high to be getting council tax & housing benefit, why has it gone up so much?

ENormaSnob · 04/04/2013 08:17

Why has it gone up by 1.1k?

lonahjomu · 04/04/2013 08:20

Do you mean gone up to £1100 a year?

chanie44 · 04/04/2013 08:33

It wouldn't surprise me. Sil has recently started work again and was told she would have to pay the full amount and she works part time in childcare so not exactly highly paid.

yellowhousewithareddoor · 04/04/2013 08:38

I presume they are in London or somewhere expensive in order to get hb? I think we would have done had our situation been different.

TheDegglyDonkey · 04/04/2013 08:39

Do you get tax credits?

emmaliz · 04/04/2013 08:42

OP has the amount of help you get with your CT changed - I know people are having to pay more towards CT now?

SpottyTeacakes · 04/04/2013 08:43

We earn more than that and get a big chunk of childcare paid for through tax credits, have you tried the benefits calculator? How many children do you have? I'd be surprised if you were worse off working part time, I never realised we would get most of the childcare covered.

Original poster
PancakeFace · 04/04/2013 08:50

Thanks everyone, yes I meant it has gone up to £1100 a year (actually just checked and it's it's £1200..)

I will try the benefits calculator, it's really confusing.

OP posts:
TheDegglyDonkey · 04/04/2013 08:53

We earn less than that and aren't eligible for CTB, however we can claim tax credits.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 04/04/2013 08:54

www.turn2us.org.uk has a very good benefits calculator.

Footface · 04/04/2013 08:55

Wasn't it capped at 2% increase though.

Whatever you do, don't get behind with council tax, they are the worsed to owe money too. Pay them before everything else, as they are ruthless

DreamingOfTheMaldives · 04/04/2013 08:59

2% cap Footface? Ours has just gone up 2.5%. We are ready the dearest council tax in our area (and we are most definitely not an affluent area). Other local councils, some of which I would consider 'better' areas are quite a bit cheaper.

BlackAffronted · 04/04/2013 09:06

I am shocked that you can get HB & CB when you earn £22k Shock

prettypleasewithsugarontop · 04/04/2013 09:09

Me too BlackAffronted. We weren't getting anything on combined income of just under 19k

JakeBullet · 04/04/2013 09:11

Don't be too shocked Black, the OP may well live in London or the south east, they might privately rent and it's not likely that they get full HB either....just a contribution.

SpottyTeacakes · 04/04/2013 09:16

We live in the south east and I'm pretty sure we can get hb on 23000 a year when I've been calculating benefits. Some (most new) housing association houses here are easily £800 a month.

prettypleasewithsugarontop · 04/04/2013 09:25

Thats a vey high rent Sad ours is £345 a month

Footface · 04/04/2013 09:30

That's a huge amount to go up, I honestly don't know how people are expected to find over £1000 extra a year.

Fingers crossed on hb,

BlackAffronted · 04/04/2013 09:31

We get £2k a year more than the op and manage a mortgage & full council tax from that. Thats why I said I am shocked. I am not in London though.

CloudsAndTrees · 04/04/2013 09:39

On 22k you really should be paying council tax. Council services are very important to people, and they have to be funded somehow. You already have the luxury of being a SAHM, it is not too much to ask that you contribute council tax.

SpottyTeacakes · 04/04/2013 09:40

If I went back to work full time we still wouldn't even be able to afford a mortgage on a one bedroom flat round here, and I don't live in London.

Let us know how you get on with benefits calculator OP, it's all very confusing...

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