Who should pay the council tax?

[Cavapoo123]

A couple are moving in together. Person A is moving into Person B’s house.

Person A works full-time, currently pays £1500 in house bills in their own place (rented), will only be paying around £700 once moving into Person B’s house (also rented). Person B has no children. Earns around £2000 per month after tax.

Person B doesn’t work due to ill health, is on disability benefits, also has a disabled child who receives disability benefits. Also receives £120 per month child maintenance. Person B’s benefits will go down by around £800 once Person A moves in, but will be making up some of the money by saving on some of the joint house bills that Person A will be contributing towards.

Person B currently doesn’t have to pay council tax due to disability exemptions, however once Person A moves in, the house will have to pay council tax again which even with the single person discount will be around £190 per month.

Who is responsible for this council tax bill?

Person A won’t be paying for Person B’s child at all. They will be responsible for half of house bills (rent, water, energy, tv licence, etc) and that’s it.

If the LCWRA needs to be renewed it will be at the higher rate because it’s not a new application

Of course A is paying towards Bs child if it’s 50:50, why half? Why not 2/3rds? So B wants A to fund them and their child? Does your child’s other parent pay maintenance?
A shouldn’t move in as B is not being fair!

Share the cost?

Person B will be losing £800 whilst Person A will be saving £700 at least… how is Person B not being fair, give your head a good wobble 😂

im fairly certain that due to new changes in April
if B applies again it will be treated as a new claim and she will only get the lower amount
so standard LCWRA amount and a lower amount for health - I think it’s 200

what about food? Will that be split 3 ways or two? Electricity…3 ways or two?

Too complicated.

Thats the issue with getting benifits - you lose a chunk when someone moves in as they assume will share costs

equally not fair that A has to pay the lost bit plus ct plus half of bills

A may as well stay where they are as cost joint/share is going to be the same for them but then sharing a house and child

Surely if Person B is going to be worse off then Person A needs to either at least make up the shortfall (including Council tax), or they don't move in. It doesn't make sense otherwise.

Everyone has very strict diet needs - vegetarian, meat eaters, fussy eaters so Person A is responsible for their food costs, Person B is responsible for theirs and childs because it works out easier

I think person B is getting ripped off. Pp are right, the only fair way to do it is to pool the money into a joint account

Person B is expecting A to pay for their child! Does your child get maintenance from other parent? If they have their own monies are they being used appropriately?

Person A won’t be paying the ‘lost bit’ of Person B’s benefits

Especially if not officially and B can ask them to leave at any time!

It is official and they will be on the tenancy.

100% this. Who could be arsed with this much drama before they even start living together

what age is the child?

10

No, but presumably by contributing to household costs that is replacing the benefits that would be needed for that purpose?

Why are they moving in together at all?!

There will still be a shortfall of some amount

Fully expect to be ripped apart on Mumsnet, but I think person A needs to 'move back in' with his parents/brother/trustworthy friend, then as far as the neighbours are concerned come and visit you regularly but only stay 2 or 3 nights a week. Even if he has to pay a couple hundred a month to maintain 'a room' elsewhere then everyone will be much better off.

Make sure he parks his car round the corner half the time and not in your drive.

I’ve just Google searched this
if I get LCWRA at the moment and cancel it
will I get the same amount after april

this is what comes up and I would say I’m 99 percent correct

If you cancel your current claim and reapply after
6 April 2026, it will be treated as a new claim. This means you will likely lose the "protected" status given to existing claimants and receive a significantly lower monthly amount.

if you want to be 100 percent sure pop over to reditt to the dwp / benefit section.
you have DWP / Universal Credit workers who will give you the correct answer
But I’m fairly certain I’m correct

The homeowner is liable but if you are a family it should come out of the family pot.

If dc has a school trip etc, and B cannot afford it will A be expected to help out?