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Lone parents

Use our Single Parent forum to speak to other parents raising a child alone.

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Original poster

Council Tax benefit now taking maintenance into account...

53 replies

mama2moo · 17/02/2013 19:43

How is this fair? It basically means that £77 of my childrens money will now have to pay my council tax bill.

Has anyone received a letter about this? I hope they dont take this into account for other things that help me out.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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kinkyfuckery · 17/02/2013 19:47

Since when?

sydlexic · 17/02/2013 19:48

How can it not be fair? I have never understood why maintenance wasn't counted for tax credits or council tax benefit.

Original poster

mama2moo · 17/02/2013 19:50

My view is that the money I get from my ex is for my dd's. It goes towards their clothes, food, birthdays etc. Its not my money.

They have changed council tax completely by the looks of it. I had my letter yesterday.

OP posts:

kinkyfuckery · 17/02/2013 19:52

Well, yeah they're changing all the out of work benefits to a 'universal credit' are they not? Just wondering where I can find information about child maintenance being taken into consideration?

happyinherts · 17/02/2013 19:53

it may not be 'your money' but it is to keep a roof over your children's head - whether it be clothes, food, or housing / living costs. It is income - I have never understood why it's been disregarded before.

purpleroses · 17/02/2013 19:55

Council tax benefit is now being designed by local authorities. So it works in a different way in each area.

Seems fair enough to me really - if you compare one lone parent who gets £100 a week maintenance (but earns nothing) to another who receives nothing from her ex (or is widowed) but earns £100 from her job it seems fair that both pay the same council tax.

Original poster

mama2moo · 17/02/2013 19:56

I am in South Somerset so it may be different for different councils?? I have tried to find it online. Look up your local council and it should be on their 'council tax change' part of the website.

OP posts:

bobsnotabuilder · 17/02/2013 19:58

lol I wish I could argue some of my income is "for my dds"

Sounds totally fair to me.

My view is that the money I get from my ex is for my dd's. It goes towards their clothes, food, birthdays etc. Its not my money.

Right, cos that's how it works isn't it.

lockets · 17/02/2013 19:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

onadifferentplanet · 17/02/2013 20:04

I should get a regular CSA payment from my ex but have not received any for months and I would imagine that is the same for a lot of people, so if the calculation of what they you to pay includes monies which have not actually been received into the household income what happens then ?

Wewereherefirst · 17/02/2013 20:05

It is fair, one LP should not be treated differently from another because they're paid maintenance.

I can't see anything on the PDF about paying from maintenance but I skim read it. www.southsomerset.gov.uk/housing-and-benefits/benefits/changes-to-council-tax-benefit/council-tax-reduction-scheme-and-draft-scheme/

usualsuspect · 17/02/2013 20:06

Exactly. what happens if you don't receive your maintenance for a few weeks?

sydlexic · 17/02/2013 20:07

I have posted this before, it is 100% true.

Three woman that work in an office one gets £1500 per month maintenance plus wages plus tax credits. The second gets her wages, the same tax credits but her estranged DH pays no maintenance. The first person has one less to feed and clothe but is £1500 better off.

The thiird works twice as many hours has the same income gets no tax credits, the first two will do no overtime as they won't work for what they can get for free.

A system that allows this is crazy.

usualsuspect · 17/02/2013 20:07

Or months?

Tough shit?

lubeybooby · 17/02/2013 20:07

The disregard is because of unreliable absent parents of whom there are many, who suddenly stop paying maintenance and leave the LP in the shit.

Original poster

mama2moo · 17/02/2013 20:08

I think they would take what you actually receive into account, not what you should.

OP posts:

sydlexic · 17/02/2013 20:08

Lubey, there has to be a better way to make the absent parent pay, as a country we cannot afford to pay for them and why should they get away with it.

Original poster

mama2moo · 17/02/2013 20:10

£1500 a month maintenance? Blimey! I want more hours in work so that I don't have to claim top ups.

OP posts:

usualsuspect · 17/02/2013 20:10

They shouldn't get away with it, but they do.

Happy for the women and children to suffer are you?

lubeybooby · 17/02/2013 20:12

sydlexic I agree but after, what... twenty years plus of the CSA they have never managed to sort out a foolproof way so I doubt that will ever change.

whateveritakes · 17/02/2013 21:58

How can this ever work?
Council tax is supposed to be paid in advance (which is why if you default on a months payment they want it all). How are they supposed to work out how much you got, in advance of you getting it. Either it'll be done in arrears from last years payments or everyone will need to go in every time a maintenance payment changes/stops.
Basically if you are rich enough at the beginning of April to pay the lot you can keep all your maintenance. If you pay monthly you could be in serious arrears if you don't get the expected maintenance. How the heck can you say what someone else who isn't part of the household will or won't be contributing?

seaofyou · 18/02/2013 08:39

I don't get a penny maintanence and am a full time carer to my DS. I am being made to pay council tax too under these changes in April too:(

happyinherts · 18/02/2013 13:31

As I understood it everyone who up until now hasn't paid council tax because of being on Income Support will now pay up to 20 per cent?

Everyone uses the services so I think this is fair. Everyone contributes something.

Meglet · 18/02/2013 13:38

Fuckers .

I don't get counci tax benefit by the way. I'm just fed up with LP's getting more shit from this piss poor excuse of a government.

whateveritakes · 18/02/2013 20:42

happyinherts - How is council tax fair? It's based on property with no distinction between having enough money to buy a house or those that are renting. I have to pay nearly 10% of my monthly income to council tax. Ex on 60K pays the same.

How can you afford 20% on income support? That's £20 a month if you are a single parent - the electric meter money for 2 weeks?
(In our area a band c property (2/3 beds) is over £1,300). Even worse it's the debt you can be sent to prison for not paying.

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