Benefits changes from 2013

[Lea_HTH]

 

1) Council Tax - It's been reported that people who are on JSA Will need to pay they tax out of they JSA, How on earth people going to survive regarding this? it's really stupid and I doubt any people will be able to afford food after they paid all the outgoings

 

Local authorities will have a budget around 10% reduction from the ones they have now, from which they will have to administer the local claims for council tax benefit. It is highly unlikely that those who are unemployed will have all their CTB removed. Your local authority should have been in touch with you about this by now - if not, contact them and ask what their future proposals are for people in your circumstances.

 

 

2) Housing Benefit - I read somewhere that people under 25 will get they housing benefit cut, is this true? and also they will need to pay part rent if they got a spare bedroom that they don't use (This doesn't apply to me as I am 26 and I only live in a 1 bedroom flat)

 

It's actually Local Housing Allowance that has a cap placed on it (alongside the caps for all those claiming local housing allowance). LHA is payable to those who need assistance with their rentals in the private sector. There is a similar cap being brought in for those on housing benefit and in social housing - e.g. if someone has a two bedroom property, but only needs one, their HB will be capped and they will need to find the percentage difference for the additional spare room (14%) out of their benefits or ask to be moved to smaller accommodation.

 

In relation to the cap on LHA for those under 25, it's actually been raised to those under 35. There was a period of protection given to those already living in larger accommodation (to allow them time to find somewhere else to live), however the changes will kick in for all from 1st January 2013, if I recall correctly. This means that anyone in private accommodation, claiming LHA, will have their allowance capped at the single person under 35 rate (effectively a room rate, rather than an entire flat). So, for example, someone living in a one bedroom flat, will no longer be entitled to the full LHA for a one bed in their area, instead it will be capped to a one room/shared flat rate (about 88 pounds in London).

 

3) Universal Credit - It's going to replace some benefits like: Jobseekers, Income Employment and Support Allowance, Child Tax Credits, Working Tax Credits and Housing Benefit.

 

This has been delayed for a period of six months to September 2013. However four London boroughs are trialling it - Croydon, Haringey and Enfield are three - the fourth escapes me right now.

 

4) Jobseekers - People who don't follow the JCP advicer and don't apply for all the Jobs they givin they could be tougher sanctions even up to 3 years!

 

I don't think anyone can realistically have any objections to this - so long as the advisers are providing information for jobs that are suitable to the actual applicant and not expecting them to apply for jobs that won't even consider them, let alone employ them.