AIBU to not be able to make head nor tail of this letter re Council Tax

[Zulor]

Situation is: I'm unemployed since 22nd October.

I applied for Universal Credit. They told me I need to apply separately for Council Tax Support, which I duly did.

About a week ago, I got a letter stating I've been awarded council tax support.

Today I get THE most confusing letter ever.

The gist of it as follows:

1. You no longer qualify from 29 October to 1 April 2019. The reason is natural migration to Universal Credit.
2. Then it goes on about Universal Credit and some jumbled figures
3. You will need to pay a minimum of 24% of the charge (£4.34 a week)
4. Then there's a council tax bill which says I've to pay the following amounts:

28.12.2018 £110 28.01.2019 £111 28.02.2019 £111

Can anyone tell me what this is about?

My monthly direct debit was 83 quid odd when I was working.
How the hell are they working this out?

I think they will re-calculate your council tax once UC is awarded.

"The only thing I can think, is that they are awarding Council Tax support within the Universal Credit award?"

No, that's not possible. UC is paid by the DWP, directly into your bank account. CTS is paid by the council and it will be credited to your council tax account, so it results in a reduced council tax bill.

@Babyroobs she's already been awarded CTS at what appears to be the correct rate, just a week ago. The confusion is that she's then been sent a letter for the full rate, hence my suggestion that the letters have crossed.

Ok, found all the letters.

30th October
The DWP have recently advised us that you are claiming UC. We therefore believe that you may wish to apply for Council Tax Support. (then instructions)
7th November
Thank you for submitting an online form. Unfortunately incorrect form. You must complete a housing benefit and Council Tax Support claim
21 November
I am writing to tell you the outcome of your claim for Council Tax Support. From 29 October, Council Tax Support of £13.73 per week

27 November
This letter that I can't understand

OK, the last letter hasn't got your CTS award on it. You need to contact them and tell them. Which council is it? If you haven't got a number we might be able to find you one.

You are going to need to repay any overpayment, but it will be £13.73 a week, not the full amount. If you can't pay it before the financial year end speak to the council and make an arrangement to repay over a longer period.

You mentioned a direct debit, was this cancelled or have any payments been made since October?

The figures it breaks down in this most recent letter are as follows:

Standard Allowance £317.82
Housing Costs Element £420.63
Your Max UC award is £738.45
Less earned income -£738.45

Assessed Earned Income £1176.49
Total Assessed Income £1179.49

Your total income used in the calculation £271.50

Above all that is PIP

Daily Living component 57.30
Less disregarded income -57.30

Mobility Component 22.65
Less disregarded income 2265

UC Award £271.50

I think the most recent letter is wrong, but I would need more information to confirm.

I can't see why there would have been an overpayment, unless there is something you didn't tell them when you first claimed UC and CTS, such as a cohabiting partner in paid work, income or savings above the threshold.

It's Waltham Forest

I never cancelled the direct debit but haven't checked to see what they've taken.

Cross post.
They think you're earning £1176.49/month (or £1179.49, was that a typo?)
Where does that figure come from?

Nothing I haven't told them. I am not cohabiting. I have no other income.

Sorry, both figures should be £1176.49

That's what I can't understand either. It's like a figure they pulled out of their ass!

@AnotherEmma - I was on ESA as was too unwell to work. I was single, and paying a mortgage, not rent (frustrated I couldn’t claim for housing benefit, as I could, had I been paying rent).
This was about 8 years ago, and I’m in Scotland, so I guess the arrangement might be different.
As it was, I ended up appealing the whole situation, and winning the appeal, so I got a large back payment. It was all very stressful, which did not help with my health situation. It was the first time I had ever had to claim for anything (luckily - I’ve been fortunate, I know), and it was assumed by the DWP staff that someone in their 30s would ‘obviously have had to claim before’, and no real guidance or explanations given. It was so awful. Really unpleasant.
I can only empathise with those going through it, and I wonder if they make it so impenetrable that people just give up, and money is saved.....

Surely you shouldn't need a bloody accountant to decipher these letters.

This last letter seems to state that I am not entitled to CTS.

Did you get two letters - one about your UC award and a separate council tax bill? The UC letter, if it contains all the info in your previous post, is from the DWP. They don't have any idea of what your council tax will be and so will give you a CTax breakdown. The council tax bill will be from the CTax Dept of your local council, who won't have any idea about UC (or CTS really apart from the total that's deducted from your bill). The CTS calculation is done by the benefit department of your local council.
What date was the council tax bill sent? If you've recently had a change in your UC it will have changed your CTS which would have automatically generated a bill to you. Could that be what's happened?

OK so you need to call the UC helpline and ask where the £1176.49 figure is from.

Could it be your October earnings? You said you've been unemployed since 22 Oct, so presumably you earned wages for 1-21 Oct?

The DWP can get your earnings data direct from HMRC to work out your UC entitlement. It is also shared with the council to work out your council tax support.

They might be assuming you earned the same amount in November. If that's the case you can tell them you didn't and ask them to recalculate.

This is the number you need for CTS. It's very well hidden on the website, I can understand why people can't find it.

020 8496 3000

The figures you've given in your most recent post, are they for your UC award and do they cover your last period of employment?

That should read the DWP won't give you a CTax breakdown...

I have had no letter as yet from the DWP re UC award. (funny word 'award' lol)

No, it's the last letter from the Council tax people, with the Council Tax Bill, that includes those figures.

2 council tax bills.
The first one 21 November, awarding CTS giving a breakdown of £ 9.92, £10, £10 over three months.

Second council tax bill (this letter) dated 27 November showing figures of £100+ per month over three months.

Ah i assumed those figures were from your UC award. So they are from your council tax support award letter. In that case you need to call the council and ask them where the earnings figure is from. As I said, it might be your October earnings. But they will need to recalculate from November onwards.

It may well sort itself out once the data comes through from HMRC and DWP, but you should still call the council to make sure it's sorted.