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Hi Everyone,
I'm so pleased I found this service. I hope you can help me. I'm a 60 year old disabled woman, unable to work since November 2010, following severe after effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I get Disability Living Allowance at the higher rate for mobility and the lower rate allowance for care (I was too ill to appeal this element in time).
I receive Employment and Support Allowance which includes the extra support element because of the severity of my illness and disability. I also receive Housing Benefit and Council Tax benefit. Despite my ill-health, I decided that the least I could do was to organise paying the household bills. It is usually a very straightforward task. However, I never claimed social welfare benefits before I became disabled. Now, a simple task of paying household bills on a tiny income is very difficult.
My civil partner was self-employed and kept her business ticking over in case I recovered enough for her to return to work. However, my needs are increasing, not reducing. The business became a liability, with a loss of -£569.20 between October 2011 and June 2012. My partner retired in June 2012. Now she receives a state pension. We have no other income. To assess the amount of Housing and Council Tax Benefits due to us, the Council required my partner to complete Profit and Loss forms and, when added up, they show the loss of -£569.20.
We receive Housing Benefit of £273.20 each month, apart from one month when we received almost nothing. This was on the basis of a major miscalculation based on wrongly projected income. I challenged the decision and the Housing Benefit was restored. Now we have each received a Council Tax summons for £255.61, plus £50 costs. The case is due to be heard on 23 March 2013. I would very much appreciate your advice on our liability. I believe we have none. The basic facts are shown below:
18 March 2012: We received a Council Tax bill that said there was zero Council Tax to pay. We were eligible to receive the full Council Tax credit of £1,421.23.
2 July 2012: We received a Council Tax bill that said there was zero Council Tax to pay. We were eligible to receive the full Council Tax credit of £1,421.23.
9 October 2012: We received a bill for £401.85, payable in five instalments of £80 per month.
12 November 2012: We received a bill for £255.61, payable in four instalments of £64.00 per month. This bill was not paid. Now, we are individually summoned to court for non-payment of Council Tax.
Question 1: Having submitted Profit and Loss accounts that show a loss of -£569.20, how can we be liable for Council Tax?
Question 2: Are we each liable to pay costs of £50, totalling £100 in costs for the separate summonses?
Question 3: Is it usual for a husband and wife to receive a separate summons, where each one is summoned to the Magistrate’s Court to pay as individuals, as we have been as civil partners?
Can anyone advise me please? I would be very grateful.
I'm so pleased I found this service. I hope you can help me. I'm a 60 year old disabled woman, unable to work since November 2010, following severe after effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I get Disability Living Allowance at the higher rate for mobility and the lower rate allowance for care (I was too ill to appeal this element in time).
I receive Employment and Support Allowance which includes the extra support element because of the severity of my illness and disability. I also receive Housing Benefit and Council Tax benefit. Despite my ill-health, I decided that the least I could do was to organise paying the household bills. It is usually a very straightforward task. However, I never claimed social welfare benefits before I became disabled. Now, a simple task of paying household bills on a tiny income is very difficult.
My civil partner was self-employed and kept her business ticking over in case I recovered enough for her to return to work. However, my needs are increasing, not reducing. The business became a liability, with a loss of -£569.20 between October 2011 and June 2012. My partner retired in June 2012. Now she receives a state pension. We have no other income. To assess the amount of Housing and Council Tax Benefits due to us, the Council required my partner to complete Profit and Loss forms and, when added up, they show the loss of -£569.20.
We receive Housing Benefit of £273.20 each month, apart from one month when we received almost nothing. This was on the basis of a major miscalculation based on wrongly projected income. I challenged the decision and the Housing Benefit was restored. Now we have each received a Council Tax summons for £255.61, plus £50 costs. The case is due to be heard on 23 March 2013. I would very much appreciate your advice on our liability. I believe we have none. The basic facts are shown below:
18 March 2012: We received a Council Tax bill that said there was zero Council Tax to pay. We were eligible to receive the full Council Tax credit of £1,421.23.
2 July 2012: We received a Council Tax bill that said there was zero Council Tax to pay. We were eligible to receive the full Council Tax credit of £1,421.23.
9 October 2012: We received a bill for £401.85, payable in five instalments of £80 per month.
12 November 2012: We received a bill for £255.61, payable in four instalments of £64.00 per month. This bill was not paid. Now, we are individually summoned to court for non-payment of Council Tax.
Question 1: Having submitted Profit and Loss accounts that show a loss of -£569.20, how can we be liable for Council Tax?
Question 2: Are we each liable to pay costs of £50, totalling £100 in costs for the separate summonses?
Question 3: Is it usual for a husband and wife to receive a separate summons, where each one is summoned to the Magistrate’s Court to pay as individuals, as we have been as civil partners?
Can anyone advise me please? I would be very grateful.
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