New bedroom tax

[time4change2]

hi everyone i went to a local meeting and advice centre yesterday where they hold advice on the new changes that come into effect from April 2013 with regards to the new bedroom tax.

 

my sister gets income based ESA support group and she also gets high rate care DLA.

 

when i discussed this with one of the representatives from housing benefit she advised me that if your in the support group and get the severe disability premium then you will not be effected by the bedroom tax.

 

has anyone else heard that this would be the case the reason i ask is when i called up HB they said this was not the case.

 

i have written to them today to get clarification on this but just wondered if anyone else has heard this might be the case?

 

thanks

[kAPPS]

hi everyone i went to a local meeting and advice centre yesterday where they hold advice on the new changes that come into effect from April 2013 with regards to the new bedroom tax.

 

my sister gets income based ESA support group and she also gets high rate care DLA.

 

when i discussed this with one of the representatives from housing benefit she advised me that if your in the support group and get the severe disability premium then you will not be effected by the bedroom tax.

 

 

has anyone else heard that this would be the case the reason i ask is when i called up HB they said this was not the case.

 

i have written to them today to get clarification on this but just wondered if anyone else has heard this might be the case?

 

thanks

 

I have heard some people saying that people that receive the support group and DLA will not be affected, i want to find out more about this for my friend who is also in the support group contribution based from IB, plus she gets dla in LRM and LRC compacity i don't think shes gets the premium rate on top of her benefits, i just wondered if she will be affected she already pays abit towards her rent each week and pays about £14 council tax monthly

[Nystagmite]

Not heard this, no. I know if you receive mid or high rate care DLA and have an overnight carer, you can claim HB for another bedroom.

[estellyn]

No I don't think there are any exemptions unless the person needs an overnight carer.

[Galeforce81]

The only thing i've heard is that those getting SDP might continue to get full council tax (or whatever its going to be called) but that all depends on which LA you're with.

[flumps1976]

Each LA will have it's own rules and dtermine if any other groups apart from pensioners will have any exemption from the bedroom tax.

It really varies from one LA to another.

[osdset]

Each LA will have it's own rules and dtermine if any other groups apart from pensioners will have any exemption from the bedroom tax.

It really varies from one LA to another.

So it's a postcode lottery.

[citizenB]

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?382573-100-000-Scots-could-cash-in-on-bedroom-tax-loophole(1-Viewing)-nbsp

 

There are a couple of discussion threads on this issue.. one above.. and one below..

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?382464-Bedroom-tax-on-a-room-which-is-not-a-bedroom/page4

[estellyn]

So it's a postcode lottery.

 

Yes!

[phil76]

A lot of people are going to suffer because of bedroom tax from april Already seen it talked about a lot on tv where some people were crying etc

 

Do you think there is any chance of government scrapping bedroom tax?

 

All these changes are making my health worse,my depression and anxiety is getting worse always worrying what's next :(

[Guest]

I know how you feel phil76, I have no bedroom tax worry as live alone in one bed flat....but the council tax charge I will get is worrying me, letter today saying not sure how much the council tax will be as yet but that I can expect to pay at least £4.44 per week from April 1st....dreading that rent will next. can see me not being able to live here if they do that and taking my IB away which is likely soon, will be lucky if don't get thrown to jsa, then it will really be hard to cope with less money and council tax to pay, and the news that electricity costs etc are to rise more....don't know where I will end up. mind you they do seem a govt of backtrackers, and people do seem to be fighting back, so time will tell.

[estellyn]

I know how you feel phil76, I have no bedroom tax worry as live alone in one bed flat....but the council tax charge I will get is worrying me, letter today saying not sure how much the council tax will be as yet but that I can expect to pay at least £4.44 per week from April 1st....dreading that rent will next. can see me not being able to live here if they do that and taking my IB away which is likely soon, will be lucky if don't get thrown to jsa, then it will really be hard to cope with less money and council tax to pay, and the news that electricity costs etc are to rise more....don't know where I will end up. mind you they do seem a govt of backtrackers, and people do seem to be fighting back, so time will tell.

 

I really don't know how single JSA claimants and single ESA assessment rate claimants are going to be able to pay this - it's bad enough for everyone else on benefits, but for those, pretty impossible. Can you imagine a single 50 year old JSA claimant living in a three bed council property who's kids have left home - £4.44 a week council tax, maybe £20 a week bedroom tax, £25 a week for water, gas, electricty, tv licence - that's £60 a week before fares, food, pets, insurances, which she's supposed to pay for on £11 a week!! and that's before anything else that is non essential. Simply not do-able. I predict riots, suicide deaths and people freezing in winter.

[Guest]

I totally agree estellyn....and wont be surprised if they will do the same with HB at some point to be same as CT...I am glad I gave my house up, for me it wasn't an issue as I really couldn't cope with it and didn't want to be there when the family moved, I had no real attachment to it. But some who have been in their homes for years and made many improvements etc before falling on hard times are in a desperate situation. Remembering the poll tax riots, can see as you have commented that this situation will cause riots, suicides and people freezing in winter. I live alone now, heaven knows if they take my IB away how I will cope, just jsa and jc would send me over the edge let alone the added benefit cuts, which would be around £35 per week if u include CT and IB reduced to £71 jsa. The stress of interviews etc etc etc...I don't wanna be here just thinking about it. I really don't trust myself if they send me to Atos again, I will need restraining so help me god.

[phil76]

It's terrible we're not all scroungers,people genuinely have health problems or are looking for work,what about alcoholics and people taking drugs who claim benefits they're not going to pay these extras they just waste there benefits on drink/drugs

 

I can see a lot of people on the streets once these changes happen

[Guest]

well I will go down fighting

[phil76]

Why did they abolish poll tax?was it because people starting rioting?

[Guest]

what they did was say that everyone paid full poll tax whether working or not , and regardless of amount of wages. there was riots like ive never seen before, in the end it was changed so that unemployed paid none, hence poll tax benefit which became council tax benefit. and those working paid on a scale decided on their earnings.....and now here we are again...albeit a percentage we have to pay, am wondering how long before the council tax is hiked so high our percentage will be impossible. this government don't want any sick or disabled, they also want the able to magic their own jobs out of thin air....more jobs are being lost than created....its disgusting.

[Guest]

while it was being sorted out I got 3 bills at once....one for full amount....one for half amount.....and then one for nil. The office must have been in chaos working it all out.

[Nystagmite]

It's terrible we're not all scroungers,people genuinely have health problems or are looking for work,what about alcoholics and people taking drugs who claim benefits they're not going to pay these extras they just waste there benefits on drink/drugs

 

I can see a lot of people on the streets once these changes happen

 

Many with drug / alcohol problems have other issues alongside such as depression.

[id6052]

am wondering how long before the council tax is hiked so high our percentage will be impossible..

 

i definitely think that is the intention, funding cut this year is 10%, protection for pensioners, means working age facing cuts of up to 25-30%

 

but the cuts will continue http://www.lgcplus.com/lga-warns-of-further-council-tax-benefit-cut/5053487.article if pensioners continue to be protected, this is likely to mean cuts of 45 - 55% in future years for working age claimants

[Guest]

and with benefits barely increasing we will be in the same position as we were when the tories did the poll tax....there must be a lot of well to do people in this country as no working class ever prosper under a tory govt so the votes came from somewhere.

[fightingback99]

Someone posted a link to the bbc which said IDS had ordered a review of the housing benfit cut in relation to the effect on disabled people. Not much use with links so hope this works.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21541400

[antone]

Someone posted a link to the bbc which said IDS had ordered a review of the housing benfit cut in relation to the effect on disabled people. Not much use with links so hope this works.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21541400

 

Your link works fine. Thanks.

[RaeUK]

But, sadly, it's only a review of disabled people that may need overnight carers ...

[id6052]

the fact that he has ordered a review at this stage, just proves how ill-thought out this program of welfare reform is