council tax when sharing

[umami]

Hi Everyone,
I am hoping to get some clarification on reductions and what it means when sharing the bill. My housemate and I were on the council tax bill for last year so are liable for the full amount equally. My housemate became ill last year and could not work so applied for a reduction which was given to him. Does this mean he didn't have have to pay council tax and I become liable for whole of the reduced amount? He received just over half the full amount reduction. We are just trying to work out the split, It was 25/75 of the adjusted bill but I think we got confused as to what the reduction meant.

Thanks, I hope we can sort this out. I appreciate your replies.
U

[ploddertom]

You are both still equally liable.

[umami]

Thank you, so any split that we decided is on good faith between us?

[ploddertom]

Council Tax is on the property not the person.

[lgfa92]

Hi Everyone,
I am hoping to get some clarification on reductions and what it means when sharing the bill. My housemate and I were on the council tax bill for last year so are liable for the full amount equally. My housemate became ill last year and could not work so applied for a reduction which was given to him. Does this mean he didn't have have to pay council tax and I become liable for whole of the reduced amount? He received just over half the full amount reduction. We are just trying to work out the split, It was 25/75 of the adjusted bill but I think we got confused as to what the reduction meant.

Thanks, I hope we can sort this out. I appreciate your replies.
U

You need to differentiate between council tax liability and council tax reduction.

Council Tax liability works on the basis of joint liability - i.e. all parties who are jointly liable are equally liable for the whole balance.

Council Tax Reduction, as it is a means tested benefit, apportions the council tax charge only for the purposes of determining how much help they will give a person (so for 2 people they will pay a maximum of 50% of the charge). Their apportionment has no effect on the actual Council Tax liability and who owes what money.

For Council Tax purposes, therefore, you are both jointly liable for the outstanding balance.