new universal credit

[Sparks_]

Do people pay rent monthly or four-weekly?

 

I pay monthly rent but get my housing benefit every two weeks, I can see a lot of families struggling with a monthly budget! Especially if the expect two weeks money to cover the full month when this UC starts, its ok for those in power they have an income that easily lasts a month, its about time they were made to experiance what they expect others to live on!

[RaeUK]

For me, rent is fine. HB direct to Housing Association is fortnightly and I pay the small shortfall either fortnightly or four weekly. That wouldn't change much as the Housing Association, I would imagine, would have to adapt to how HB is paid.

[osdset]

HB is going to be paid directly to the claimant under UC, my HA has already sent budgeting advice out to those on benefits.

 

As an aside, I read on the Rightsnet site that so far 48% of LA's intend to levy a 20% CT charge on working age claimants, so that's the 10% shortfall plus another 10% for what? Admin?

[Sparks_]

HB is going to be paid directly to the claimant under UC, my HA has already sent budgeting advice out to those on benefits.

 

As an aside, I read on the Rightsnet site that so far 48% of LA's intend to levy a 20% CT charge on working age claimants, so that's the 10% shortfall plus another 10% for what? Admin?

 

So those who are struggling now will be even more worse off? When will they realise people on low income cannot afford to lose anymore from benefits?

[osdset]

When will they realise people on low income cannot afford to lose anymore from benefits?

 

This is the worst part of it all, they do realise, they are just indifferent to the plight of those at the bottom, it's ideology driven policy making.

[Sparks_]

So we have food banks, whats next the return of the soup kitchens? More hostels for the homeless?

[osdset]

So we have food banks, whats next the return of the soup kitchens? More hostels for the homeless?

Sadly, I think food banks, soup kitchens, hostels, and more charity shops for clothing staffed by ESA claimants forced to work for free under MWA are inevitable.

 

Bailiffs will have a field day chasing people that cannot afford the CT top up, and the Home Office will have to find extra room in HM Prisons to house those convicted by the courts for 'refusing to pay' they will probably early release muggers, rapists, and child molesters to free up the beds, as they are not benefit scrounging JSD's (Jobseeker/Sick/Disabled) or low waged employees are they, so are more socially acceptable to HM Gov.

[Nystagmite]

Mandatory work activity, I think.

[Sparks_]

Sadly, I think food banks, soup kitchens, hostels, and more charity shops for clothing staffed by ESA claimants forced to work for free under MWA are inevitable.

 

Bailiffs will have a field day chasing people that cannot afford the CT top up, and the Home Office will have to find extra room in HM Prisons to house those convicted by the courts for 'refusing to pay' they will probably early release muggers, rapists, and child molesters to free up the beds, as they are not benefit scrounging JSD's (Jobseeker/Sick/Disabled) or low waged employees are they, so are more socially acceptable to HM Gov.

 

But they will be as soon as they are released from prison as who is going to employ them?

[Sparks_]

I only get £50 a week help towards my rent, it comes to £495 a month, my son is joint tenant so they say he pays half, they also said we only need 2 bedrooms as my daughter was at uni, shes home now so I thi8nik i need to go see them again.

[count orlok]

When we first went on to Pension credits and got HB it was paid weekly in arrears, but the rent was due at the start of the week. We carried on paying our rent when it was due, but had to find the money from our weekly benefits. When it went fortnightly we carried on but had to sub benefits from our money that was paid weekly, but as Pension credit rates are about twice that of working age claimants benefits, it was just about possible. When HB was paid 4 weekly we could no longer afford to pay our rent for 4 weeks without any help, so went for direct payment. Our rent account now shows 3 weeks in arrears, but the HA understand and don't complain.

 

I am not sure how this will work when HB is paid as part of UC monthly in arrears and will landlords be prepared for their tenants to be arrears for most of the time.

 

I'm not quite sure what will happen to us when UC come in as one of us is has about ten years till pension age, bu for certain this is going to cause massive problems. When one is starving or cold and has money they spend it, they do not think that they may be cold or hungry in 2 weeks and buy less food than they need or put an extra jumper on.

 

People die under the present system, more will die under the new one. I know the gov say people get paid monthly at work; they may do but they get a months money not a weeks money which is effectively what a month JSA is.

Edited September 16, 2012 by count orlok

[id6052]

HB is going to be paid directly to the claimant under UC, my HA has already sent budgeting advice out to those on benefits.

 

As an aside, I read on the Rightsnet site that so far 48% of LA's intend to levy a 20% CT charge on working age claimants, so that's the 10% shortfall plus another 10% for what? Admin?

 

odset,

 

LAs are to receive 10 % less funding than they received for CTB, however the government have stated that pensioners are to be protected from any reduction

 

My local Council has a 60 % pensioner caseload for CTB

 

Any Council which has a 50+ % pensioner caseload will be unable to reduce their CTB, this results in an average 20+ % reduction for all working age claims

[id6052]

james 360

 

new council tax support schemes come in on 1 April 2013

[id6052]

Thanks ID

 

So sorry for being a bit thick. I am right in thinking that my CTB will be reduced by 20% and I would be liable for the difference?

 

It is not that straight forward...

 

At the moment Councils receive 100% funding for CTB.

 

From 1 April 2013, CTB will be scrapped as a National Benefit.

 

Each Council has to devise a new scheme for CT support to replace CTB.

 

For the new scheme they will have to find a 10% saving on current expenditure and will have to protect pensioner claims.

 

 

I am not sure how your Council plans to meet the shortfall or the basis of their scheme, however each Council has to consult with the public over their proposed scheme. Have you received any paperwork from your Local Council about their proposals? Or looked on their website?

 

If you can't find anything, let me know Council name and I will see if I can find anything for you.

[id6052]

james360

 

http://www.sthelens.gov.uk/what-we-do/benefits-and-council-tax/benefits/changes-to-council-tax-benefit/

 

St Helens proposals are:

 

 

1. To introduce a minimum council tax liability of 20% on all working age households, meaning that every household will have to pay at least 20% of their council tax bill from April 1st 2013.
   
2. To calculate any financial assistance under the local scheme based on the remaining 80% of a working age household’s bill
   
3. That Second Adult Rebate is no longer available for working-age residents from April 1st 2013.
   
4. In calculating financial assistance under the local scheme we propose to use the same rules and regulations that currently apply for the calculation of Council Tax Benefit, with the following slight modifications:
   

 

• To restrict what we pay through the local Council Tax Assistance Scheme to the value of a Band D property, with working age residents of higher banded properties being required to meet a higher proportion of their bills than residents in lower bands.
  
• To introduce a minimum award equivalent to £1 per week under the local assistance scheme. If a working age claimant’s income and savings mean that they qualify for less than £1 per week then we will consider them ineligible for assistance.
  

[Nystagmite]

James - have you looked into discretionary housing payments?

[id6052]

James

 

Can I ask why you are paying £42 towards your rent?

 

Normally if somebody's only income is ESA and they are renting from a Housing Association, their HB covers their full rent (minus any ineligible services)

 

Is the £42 a fortnightly figure? If it relates to rent arrears or ineligible services, you would be ineligible for a Discretionary Housing Payment. However if it was due to having other income or a non-dependant, you may be able to apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment (although there is no guarantee that you would be successful).

[id6052]

it depends upon your council tax band, but if you are currently receiving 100% council tax benefit, the monthly figures would be

 

• £19 for band A,
  
• £22 for band B,
  
• £25 for band C,
  
• £28 for band D
  

 

It will be a lot more expensive for higher bands

 

Rough monthly figures for higher bands would be:

 

• £59 for band E
  
• £90 for band F
  
• £121 for band G
  
• £167 for band H
  

Edited September 16, 2012 by id6052

[id6052]

you would not be eligible for a DHP for your rental costs as it relates to ineligible services

 

you may be eligible for one next April towards CT costs, but I would expect DHP funds to be severely stretched with introduction of bedroom tax, etc

 

Will the bedroom tax affact you? i.e. do you have more bedrooms than you need?

Edited September 16, 2012 by id6052

[id6052]

James

 

You will not be affected by the bedroom cap

 

After applying your 25% discount, you will probably have to pay about £21 per month towards your Council Tax from April 2013

 

Discretionary Housing Payments are additional payments that Councils can make to people in receipt of HB/CTB if they think they need extra financial help.

 

The payments are discretionary, so there is no guarantee of assistance.

 

From what you have stated, you would not be eligible to apply for one now, but may be eligible to try next April

[id6052]

james, there is nothing to backclaim as DHPs do not cover ineligible charges

[id6052]

For a Band D property, your CTS would be approximately £4.01 less than your CTB, which would mean you would have to pay approximately £21 per month.

 

you can double check your council tax band http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/DoItOnline/DG_4017252

[id6052]

For a Band A property, your CTS would be approximately £2.67 less than your CTB, which would mean you would have to pay approximately £14 per month.

[RaeUK]

Apols, just to answer the question I was asked ages ago, I pay £3.30pw at present towards my rent. This is for things which I believe HB doesn't cover like communal grass cutting and drainage.

 

As for CTB, I recently had a letter from my council. It states that people who should be protected from the change are pensioners, the severely disabled (DLA HRC), the disabled (in receipt of disabled benefits ie DLA), parents with a disabled child, Carers.

[RaeUK]

Hi ID

 

The additional charge I pay covers electricity and water, as I understand it...

 

HB wouldn't cover elec and water anyway so you need to strip these out of your £42 contribution for rent to get a realistic view of it, imo ...