Council tax support/bill

[Sparklex]

Hiya

I'm asking for a friend as she is confused about how this will work. She's been claiming housing benefit and the maximum amount of council tax support she's able to claim as she's a single mum but not working. She has since asked the father of her kids to move in and he will be moving in on Friday because she suffers very bad from anxiety and depression and has been struggling with the kids. They are not 'together' as such but he's moving in so she has to cancel all her benefits because he works. She was due to claim Jobseeker's Allowance as her youngest turned 5 but because of her anxiety she wasn't ready to be searching for work so has no choice but to ask the dad to move in and help her. She is worried because she was entitled to council tax support up until this week and she had paid the council tax for this year that she was supposed to pay ( ppl in benefits still have to pay about £110) over the year apparently) so will they charge her council tax for the remaining two months February and march? And how much is it likely to be? She's literally living off cold Ben as her child tax has to change to a joint claim and her boyfriend doesn't get his wage now till the end of the month and has no money. So she's worried the council are gonna add loads of money to her bill now that she can't pay just now!

Once she informs the council that her living arrangements have changed then they'll recalculate her bill for remaining months of the year and yes, the difference will need to be paid. February and March are only "free" months if the full annual bill has been paid over the preceding 10 months.

The council may allow them to arrange a payment plan or have the two months of this year added onto next year's bill - she needs to let them know they're in financial hardship. The bill is the responsibility of both adults, not just your friend.

Tbh, this sounds like a doomed scenario all round. They're too enmeshed to claim they're living together but separated and it doesn't sound like the (ex?)boyfriend is going to actually be much help financially.

Your friend surely does have a choice if she is too anxious and depressed to work then she needs to be claiming ESA rather than JSA assuming she has medical evidence that she is unwell. Could he not continue to help more with the kids without moving in ?

Ok thank you for your advice. She did say to me that she wouldn't be able to apply for ESA because she thinks you can't claim for anxiety and depression but I think Maine she didn't fight enough for it. To be honest I don't think he will be good at helping her financially as she said she will have to pay rent out of her child tax when it's sorted again and just try to get by. She said she asked him to move in because she said she feels it would be more secure for the kids. Does anyone know how much council tax they will charge her for 2 months in band A housing ?