Hi all,

I've just joined and would like to throw this question out to whoever has the knowledge to answer it!

Can anyone advise me on the legality of charging people, on JSA, council tax when by it's own calculations/admission the government says " This payment of Jobseeker's Allowance is based on the amount the law says you need to live on." How then can they charge you council tax which in my case,this year, has risen to over £200 a year i.e roughly £20 a week.

Thanks

They do the liability because they can take the money directly from your benefits - thereby making themselves your priority creditor - regardless of whether you have other debts and expenses out of the JSA money.

Are you not claiming council tax benefit?

Hi all,

I've just joined and would like to throw this question out to whoever has the knowledge to answer it!

Can anyone advise me on the legality of charging people, on JSA, council tax when by it's own calculations/admission the government says " This payment of Jobseeker's Allowance is based on the amount the law says you need to live on." How then can they charge you council tax which in my case,this year, has risen to over £200 a year i.e roughly £20 a week.

Thanks

JSA is £70? £80? per week? Out of that you must pay £20? Is this correct?

Sorry I can't help, I am just trying to understand for myself how people with low incomes can be expected to pay council tax.

The amount "the law says you need to live on" includes any liability you may have to pay CT. In other words, "living" includes paying taxes.

Don't take that as support on my part for the new CTR schemes introduced a couple of years back, but this is where we are now.

Hi Andy

The first year they brought in the new rules we got an exemption. Last year we were trying to make regular payments then missed a couple and were lumbered with the total bill or court action

if your council tax is £200 per year - that equates to £20 per month (if paying over 10 instalments) - not £20 per week

We( my partner/son and I)get £66 because I work part time(just over 10 hrs a week),but yes £20/wk out of that. The gov't states the law says the amount needed to live on is £113.70

yes sorry of course that's correct,,,,durhhh it's been a long week(mentally).It was the legal aspect I was enquiring about-of which someone has answered what I thought would be the case that this gov't thinks people can live on fresh air after they've paid out for extortionate bills and then extras on top. I consider us as the lucky ones as we try our best to economise and don't buy into the material culture!

Sorry see my previous reply. It is indeed more like £20/month-doesn't sound a lot- but more the principle.

This is the way it is I'm afraid Coyote00. The headline is that benefits have been capped for another year I think at 1% rise. But really we are also having to handle this year on year increase in the amount we have to pay towards the council tax which is reducing that paltry weekly sum we now get. And the direction is clear, the amount we will have to pay is going to increase each year until we're paying the full council tax with no rise in JSA to account for it!

Some councils if not all of them do have a discretionary housing/ct fund some of those who are on JSA and ESA (pre assessment rates) £72.40 per week , are awarded the majority of their 20% liability but you have to apply and satisfy their criteria and funding is limited , Yes what a mess the government has created cutting funding to LA's but some LA's don't always spend money on things that really matter to people, and they like to keep their numbers and their snouts deep in that trough just as their counter parts in Westminster /downing street

Whilst working people have to rely on charities to feed their families, because their wages are so poor, under a tory government the rich and poor divide will get bigger