Universal credit screwing me over!

[Mammabear8120]

My council tax has been going up gradually every month. Every month I get a new bill and it is always more than the previous month. I am a single parent and get the 25% discount. I rang council tax and they said it goes off the income derails universal credit sent to them every month. Going through it all I have come to the realisation that they have been including the 85% childcare I claim back each month, within the info they send over and now council tax think it is an income and take that into account within is what is making my council tax increase every month. It is now at £99 a month and I'm falling into financial hardship. I live to the Penny and the increase every month is just causing me such financial difficulty and stress. I keep messaging universal credit but they just either don't answer me and tell me what u already know or ignore my message. They make out to people your better off would king and claiming universal credit but with the childcare 1) I have to pay it up front and claim the 85% back the following month, and 2) it's been declared as an income what I claim back and taken off me through council tax. I've lost the £80 a month additional payment this month through benefits from the extra given through covid, my council tax, water, gas and electric have gone up and my wages are down £95 thanks to the lady in the office not putting my correct hours down in the system so I've lost £95 of pay and am not guaranteed to get it before October 29th when I next get paid. I'm so fed up and depressed about it all. I don't know where to turn. Is anyone else experiencing this with universal credit or can give me advise in how I can take it further?

It's council tax support / reduction which is a separate benefit (technically a discount based on income but it's processed by the benefits department not the council tax department).

You'll have to look up your local councils CTS/R policy as they can differ from council to council.

Oh my gosh I'm so sorry I don't have any advice
I'm not on UC yet
But I really hope you get this sorted soon

Do you claim for your full child care on your council tax claim?

Op is spot on

It’s not UC but council tax benefits

You could put in for DHP from benefits at council if you are in hardship

This is by councils in England, some don’t count Childcare portion of UC payment as income, others do. I was also screwed over by this and it made working in a lower paid job impossible. I was better off not working. In a new role, better salary, and using vouchers now and I pay less council tax than I did earning way less. It is ridiculous.

For council tax rebate they look at your income, they do not take into account costs like childcare- uc will be reporting your total income and unfortunately that affects your claim.

Wow this is shocking that this is happening

Here is one council: www.richmond.gov.uk/services/housing/help_with_paying_your_rent_and_council_tax/make_a_benefit_claim/about_making_a_benefit_claim/income_for_calculating_benefit

You need to check the rules in your area.

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/36781/121212_Universal_Credit_Worked_Example.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjEyt2djq_zAhWVD2MBHVdfCYQQFnoECAMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0jIzHvZpo0irG5khJdpvUR" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Localising Council Tax Support says:

"The way that Universal Credit works means that housing and childcare costs are taken into account under both ‘income’ and ‘applicable amount’, cancelling each other out"

So they're saying that they take the full amount you claim back for childcare as income, but they've already added your childcare amount to your 'applicable amount', which is the amount of income that you need. Does that help?

It’s not UC screwing you over, it’s your council.
Each have different criteria. Some will count childcare as it is an income even though you pay it out.
I was denied council tax benefit due to the £120 and month I get in child maintenance, they decided this took me over their income threshold (which they don’t tell you)

if your not happy with the way your local council are calculating your council tax relief - you can contact your local district councillor that you get to vote in place

tell them the method they are using is unfair and causing you hardship.

my local council doesn't do the monthly letters as UC keeps changing - they gave a banding system of around £75, so unless your uc and other income changes by that amount nothing happens and you king paying the same.

this not only saves massive work for the office, it makes budgeting much easier for uc claimants

so get on to your district coucilers and all them the system is rubbish and needs changing