Wage arrestment help please

[leedeecee]

Hi there,

 

My partner has just received a letter at home stating that her wages are about to be arrested for council tax arrears.

My partner, my 18 month old son and I live on my partners part time wage of £520 per month as I am ill, and while I am entitled to employment support allowance due to the illness, I am apparently not entitled to any actual payment as my partner is expected to provide for me. So the 19% of her wage that will be taken in the wage arrestment will quite literally wipe us out and end us.

 

Now I am aware that this is a debt that has to be paid and we actually have tried to make arrangements but this is where things have confused me. At the start of the year I was trying to make arrangements for a payment plan via e-mail and was offered a payment plan of £20 a month which I accepted. After I accepted I never heard anything else from the council, no confirmation of the plan. Regardless, I began to pay the agreed amount of £20 per month and today we were sent the letter stating that her wage was being arrested.

 

Any advice anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated, as we are now at our wits end.

 

Thanks

Lee

[maroondevo52]

Hi,

 

Who did you try to set up a payment plan with, the Council or Sheriff Officers.

[leedeecee]

It was set up with the council themselves.

[maroondevo52]

Are you up to date with this years payments and have you had any letters from Sheriff Officers regarding the arrears.

[leedeecee]

Yes this years payments are up to date. We had a letter last year from Sheriff officers regarding the arrears which prompted us to set up the payment plan with the council. So the council offered the £20 a month option and we agreed to it.

[maroondevo52]

I'm surprised the Council offered a payment plan, you should phone them and ask if you can continue paying the arrears to them.

 

Normally once the council give the arrears over to the Sheriff Officers you have to deal with them.

 

The Council will have obtained a Summary Warrant, which they do not have to inform you off.

 

There then would be a 10% surcharge added to the debt.

They would then pass the debt to the Sheriff Officers who would then apply for a Charge for Payment which once expired normally after 14 days, gives them powers to get the money due by other methods mainly Wage arrestment and Bank Account arrestment.

[leedeecee]

The irony of this situation is that if they go forward with the wage arrestment then we have nothing to pay the current years bill, then the whole cycle starts again.

[maroondevo52]

I know, they don't seem to think before they act.

I can't see how if your making your agreed payments to the council they would go for the wage arrestment.

 

Is your letter today from Sheriff Officers.

[leedeecee]

I think so, Form 30 Earnings Arrestment Schedule. It has the sheriff officers address at the bottom but also states all payments and enquires should be made to the council.

[maroondevo52]

Your best bet would be to get in touch with the council and see if they will let you continue with your payment plan.

 

Sometimes the wages arrestment works out cheaper than a payment plan.

[IdaInFife]

sorry i don't understand

 

you offered £20 and now the wages arrestment wants £15

 

you are better off??

[leedeecee]

As I understand it they will take 19% of my partners wage

[maroondevo52]

There's an arrestment table here.....

 

http://www.scotdebt.net/earnings_arrestment_tables.htm

[leedeecee]

I've read that, to be honest it confuses me a little. She earns £520 a month, so from that table I assumed they would take 19% which would be £98.80 a month?

[maroondevo52]

I've read that, to be honest it confuses me a little. She earns £520 a month, so from that table I assumed they would take 19% which would be £98.80 a month?

 

It would be £15.

 

or 19% of the difference between £460.06 and £520 which is £59.94 whichever is the greater amount.

 

Think 19% of £59.94 is £11 odd so the amount they could take would be £15.

[leedeecee]

I thank you for clearing that up for me. We will sleep a bit better tonight.

[maroondevo52]

I thank you for clearing that up for me. We will sleep a bit better tonight.

 

Good stuff, your a fiver a month better off now

 

Don't spend it all in the one shop

[IdaInFife]

Just to reconfirm yes as above will be £15

[ScottishBorderer]

Hfdgh

[renegadeimp]

Hfdgh

 

ok... Hi scottishborderer. Anything we can help you with?

[ScottishBorderer]

ok... Hi scottishborderer. Anything we can help you with?

 

Hi, no I seem to have posted that wee spot of gibberish by mistake. Sorry about that. If any mods are able to delete it please do and sorry for making a mess of the thread