Council Tax And Benefit Reforms

[nailit]

I am currently receiving ESA benefits. With the new benefit reforms now coming into place I now find that out of my benefits I now have to find over £200 a year council tax and a further £11 a week bedroom tax. As I am already living at a very basic level ( I havnt been able to afford to have my heating on over the winter and have actually sat in the library to keep warm) by buying the cheapest food and making do with clothes that are nearly threadbare, I dont know how Im supposed to pay these extra charges, Im barley surviving now.
What would happen if I didnt (couldnt) pay the council tax?

[ummmm]

They will take you to court.

[nailit]

and what will the court do? I cant give money that I havnt got.

[hc4361]

Could you move into a smaller home?
Cheaper to run, hopefully, and all benefits restored.

[ummmm]

They will send the bailiffs round.

Get yourself an appointment with CAB and see if there is anything that can be done to help.

Can you get a lodger?

[factor-fiction]

Is the idea to encourage you to move to a smaller property.
But if that's the objective much more notice should have been given- 6, maybe 12, months minimum to give the residents and council housing department time to find somewhere else

[nailit]

Thanks hc. I live in a 2 bedroom highrise flat. There are very few 1 bed properties where I live and one of my bedrooms is my sons anyway. (he officially lives with his mum but spends a lot of time at mine)

[nailit]

The bailiffs are welcome ummm, ive got nothing to take.

[factor-fiction]

I'm puzzled as to why there seems to have been almost no notice given of the change as residents and councils have not had chance to organise a move for those that want it- or was it announced quite some time ago but few were aware or started to act upon it?

[nailit]

factor there are no smaller properties to move into. Theres been a lot of local newspaper columns written about this.

[factor-fiction]

There must be some- I am sure there will be some people living in overcrowded conditions in a smaller property who would happily swap with you, but it's not easy to organise these things and that's why i don't understand why I said a minimum of 6-12 months notice should have been given to give people the chance to explore it. Maybe some incentive should have been offered to councils too to encourage them to help reallocate housing

[fairycakes69]

Some councils offer money when a tenant moves into a smaller property, your local council should be able to find you somewhere smaller to move. It's been happening here. I know of 5 people being effected by this new ruling, 2 have moved and got help to, the others have decided to stay put and pay the extra.

[bednobs]

have you looked into a swap nailit? - you have to register with the site, but the council don't have to be involved.
I know you said before you want to go to prison cause you'd get meals and heat, but if you don't pay CT, the final solution is prison

[bednobs]

also, regarding your son, how old is he?

[factor-fiction]

>There are very few 1 bed properties where I live and one of my bedrooms is my sons anyway. (he officially lives with his mum but spends a lot of time at mine)

>there are no smaller properties to move into.

I'm not sure whether you are saying there none, or there are few, or there are some but you don't want to move anyway because your son sometimes stays.

It may be worth asking whether you can add your son's name on the list of household members, but if the mum is also claiming housing benefit I can see why the councils/housing benefit people don't want to pay benefit to two people for one child. You may also find that you become liable for extra council tax if your son is named as a tenant.

You need to see CAB or the council. If you default on the rent/council tax though it may force the council to find a smaller property for you that you can afford. Good luck- you should have been given more time but don't delay now

[nailit]

thanks guys, as ive said my local council just DONT have the properties. Im trying to find a link to my local newspaper about it. They dont offer any monetry incentive to downgrade unless its from a 3 bedroom property and im not sure they still do that anymore. Also if I did move then my son (whos 16) wont have a room when hes at mine. In addition how am I expected to pay over £200 a year council tax with money I dont have?
Think prison would be a better option.

[nailit]

Heres pages of stories from my local paper about the lack of one bedroom properties in my area and how local residents will be made homeless by the new benefit cuts
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/search/search.html?searchPhrase=bedroom+tax&;where=&searchType=#axzz2O4iiHl5h

[theshedman]

Try contacting the council and tell them that you can't afford to pay the council tax. I am sure that councils have been given money by the government to help in cases of extreme hardship but as usual they won't tell you about it unless you ask. They won't help with the bedroom tax though.

[ummmm]

He can sleep on the sofa. It's not ideal but it won't harm him.

[EDDIE51]

You may be eligable for DLA in addition to the ESA, my wife gets both. It is definately worth asking the CAB if there is anything more you can do.
If they say there is a chance of getting DLA then go for it , but be sure to use the CABs advisors to do the claim for you. My wife was refused DLA twice before we got the CAB to do the claim, when they did it she got DLA within 5 days !

[hc4361]

One bedroom flats for rent in Stafford, under £400 per month
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E1255&maxPrice=400&minBedrooms=1&maxBedrooms=1&displayPropertyType=flats&oldDisplayPropertyType=flats