Am I right to be pissed off

[justsopissedoff]

We have been given our notice to leave our house, so have been searching for other houses including social housing. Since have lost in order ESA, PIP and HB, plus having our tax credits reduced by £200 we have been struggling.

We have received ESA and HB back (at a reduced rate) and still waiting on PIP

In Feburary we got a council tax bill for over £1000 for that year, phoned the council explained we couldn't pay it and entered into an agreement. This bill is mainly due to the fact I lost PIP

June we got onto the housing list, told it was a long wait but due to the fact we were to be homeless they have to house us.

I have been resigned to this, today I received a letter telling me I was considered for social housing but due to the arrears they have to say no.

This is just a kick in the teeth for me, I am 2 weeks away from being homeless, I have a PIP tribunal next week, which might get rid of the arrears (I might not win) but either way this has not been good to receive and to be told I might have been housed but not this time but keep up with payments (which I have done) is just a shitter

Bloody hell OP that's tough for you. Fingers crossed for your PIP tribunal. Hopefully you will win that and everything else will fall into place.

Might it be worth contacting your MP about your situation?

That sounds really tough. It's difficult because council tax isn't optional so why did you wait until you owed £1k and they contacted you?

I know it's too late now. Have you paid off any so far? Could you get a loan to get it paid off? I'm imagining that social housing would be cheaper so could enable you to pay a loan and work of better than privately renting?

@TinklyLittleLaugh I have gotten them involved and tbf they have been great

@m0therofdragons I might not of explained well, but I received the bill in Feburary and needed to pay it off by April.. I didn't leave anything, I informed them when I lost ESA and PIP, then I informed them again when I got my ESA back, I informed them when my partners hours changed, I have done everything in my power, each time I got a housing benefit either reduction or addition, my council tax bill never changed till Feb of this year, when I got the bill and I went into immediate payment plans.

So far none of this is my fault, I have done everything as I should of done and have now been landed in the utter shit

I was told the same. I have arrears I didn't even know about from when I was with ex who wasn't a very nice person.
Can you ring Shelter for advice?

I have rung shelter in the last couple of weeks not now, because I am running on the last fumes I have, they have more or less agreed that this is the way it works.

I have a lot resting on PIP tribunal next week, what I am mainly pissed of is the message,

People can concentrate on the debt, yes it has to be paid, no I didn't pay it because there is no way I could pay of over a grand in 2 months I dealt with it, my issue is sending out these fucking letters saying you would of been chosen but you weren't

I really hate this. People end up struggling in poverty because the system is so ridiculous. I had 3 years of tax credit over payment and I kept telling them we weren't entitled but they kept paying, only £33 a month but over 3 years it adds up. Yet I'm responsible for their mess up? I wish I could bill them for phone calls I made to them!

What's your mp like op? Might be time to find out. Wishing you well and some luck.

That seems strange. I had council tax debts of over £1500 due to an ex husband living at our old property and not paying it, then sodding off. I was still housed - the debt was never mentioned and I'm still paying it off 10 years later. See if there's someone you can speak to at the council.

@m0therofdragons tbf my MP is great and that is probably the way I will go but I am just so angry at the letter

@ProfessorMoody There is no point speaking to someone at the council office, as they are all in agreement I have to clear off at least 75% of the debt, I had a meeting with them all so they could explain it to me. Also so I could I explain to them, they couldn't add this year and last year together as a lump sum.