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Council tax

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Miarose17
Miarose17 Community member Posts: 31 Connected
in Benefits and financial support
Hi my name is nev im on pip but standard im on uc but me and my wife get esa ive just been put in the lcwra group my wifes in lcw now we have put in for help with the council tax there saying we have to pay £80 a month is this right can someone help please thanks
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  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 56,055 Disability Gamechanger
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    All local Authorities have their own rules for council tax reduction so i won't be able to give any advice regarding that.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
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  • bg844
    bg844 Community member Posts: 3,887 Disability Gamechanger
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    Agreed. It may be worth typing in your local authority in to Google and looking for their council tax calculator on there.
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  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,922 Disability Gamechanger
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    It's odd where we live CTS is 90% 2 miles down the road its only 10% @Miarose17 might the £80 a month include some CT debt?
    2024 The year of the general election...the time for change is coming 💡

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  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    edited January 2023
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    woodbine said:
    It's odd where we live CTS is 90% 2 miles down the road its only 10% ..
    The variation in CTS schemes is, in my opinion, a big red flag regarding devolving 'responsibilities' to local authorities.
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.
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  • stevie66
    stevie66 Community member Posts: 35 Courageous
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    Hi, I have also recently had my Dorset council tax rate over doubled,  the council have included my LCWRA as earnings, yet on the bill explaining it shows up as care rate.
    2 things seem strange for 6 months they did not include this payment as earnings and our council have a very low rate of what the government says I need to live off.
    I've done my investigation and found that according to the councils own paperwork of what is not included in earnings is LCWRA, so I've emailed yhis info and waiting a response I'll inclue the email on next post.
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  • stevie66
    stevie66 Community member Posts: 35 Courageous
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    Thanks for this info, please can you clarify two points for me:
    1) how the amount needed to live of is derived, there stated £279.04 ?
    I can only find gov states saying it should be 60% of the national mean wage that is 30k x 0.6 = £18,000
    Or £346 per week.

    2) Why has the Limited capability to work element (LCWRA) been included in earnings as care?
    Am I reading out dated information! 

    Dorset Council
    Council Tax Reduction Scheme
    S13A and Schedule 1a of the Local Government Finance Act 1992

    Page 123/4

    Schedule 3
    Sums to be disregarded in the calculation of earnings

    Sub section 5

    (d) being credited with earnings on the grounds of incapacity for work or limited capability for work
    under regulation 8B of the Social Security (Credits) Regulations 1975


    Thanks for your help on these points.

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  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    edited January 2023
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    Your personal allowance is set out on page 37 of the CTR scheme
    https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/documents/35024/300105/Dorset+Council+-+Council+Tax+Reduction+Scheme.pdf/d43f05e6-17af-ac25-3bab-d269135cc16a

    The calculation of your income as a UC calculation is set out on page 39. This takes into account the amount of your total UC award as income.

    Schedule 3 deals with disregards from the calculation of earnings. UC is not earnings. In any case the SS (Credits) Regs 1975 have anything to do with LCWRA.

    Schedule 4 is the relevant schedule which deals with disregards from the calculation of unearned income.

    As a UC claimant your CTR entitlement is based on your UC entitled. Your personal allowance is determined by your maximum UC entitlement and the UC payable is taken as income.


    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.
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  • stevie66
    stevie66 Community member Posts: 35 Courageous
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    calcotti said:
    Your personal allowance is set out on page 37 of the CTR scheme
    https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/documents/35024/300105/Dorset+Council+-+Council+Tax+Reduction+Scheme.pdf/d43f05e6-17af-ac25-3bab-d269135cc16a

    The calculation of your income as a UC calculation is set out on page 39. This takes into account the amount of your total UC award as income.

    Schedule 3 deals with disregards from the calculation of earnings. UC is not earnings. In any case the SS (Credits) Regs 1975 have anything to do with LCWRA.

    Schedule 4 is the relevant schedule which deals with disregards from the calculation of unearned income.

    As a UC claimant your CTR entitlement is based on your UC entitled. Your personal allowance is determined by your maximum UC entitlement and the UC payable is taken as income.


    Thanks for your input, not sure I follow it all.
    According to this statement my UC = basic uc+lcwra and this should then govern the amount I need to live off combined.
    Yet DC are separating these amounts for the calculation of need to live off. If I understand it right.

    What I'm more focused on though is this regulation:
    Dorset Council
    Council Tax Reduction Scheme
    S13A and Schedule 1a of the Local Government Finance Act 1992

    As the regulation does not seem to be being adhered.
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