harrow mencap- council tax accessible booklet f 28.6.12

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Have your say

Council Tax Support Scheme Consultation Document

This Document has been made in an easy read version by Harrow Mencap 020 8868 8484

Why are we consulting?

The Government is planning to take away Council Tax Benefit.

All council’s have been asked to make up new schemes.

The Government will give money for the scheme but this money

will be less than before.

This means we will not have as much money for the scheme next

year and even less over the next few years.

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This will make a big difference to the money we can give out.

All our residents will have the chance to have their say

about these changes.

We will be asking you your views from

Monday 11 June to Friday 21 September 2012

on what the new Council Tax Support Scheme should look like.

This booklet will give you all the information you need.

A questionnaire is included at the back of the booklet, please fill it in

and send it back to us by post.

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What is Council Tax?

Council Tax is money people give to the council. It is the council’s job to

collect the money. This money pays for things like, collecting rubbish

bins, keeping the streets clean and for education. Some money also

goes to the police, fire and public transport services.

What is Council Tax Benefit?

Council Tax Benefit is money given to the council by the government, to

help people without much money to pay their Council Tax.

What are the changes to Council Tax Benefit?

Council Tax Benefit will be taken away from next April.

Council’s will have to make a new scheme that is due to start on

1st April 2013

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There will be no change to the amount pensioners get.

How the new rules affect the most vulnerable must be looked at

by the council.

The new scheme must encourage people to go to work.

We want your views

From April 2013 we need to save a lot of money.

People below pension age, who get Council Tax Benefit now will

probably have to pay something towards their Council Tax bill.

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We want to ask your views on which groups of people the Council

should support as a priority.

www.harrow.gov.uk/ctbconsultation

Or telephone: 020 8416 8266

Everybody who is not a pensioner and gets Council Tax Benefit will be

affected by the changes. However some may be affected more than

others.

These are the people who will be affected.

Families with children

Lone parents

http://www.harrow.gov.uk/ctbconsultation

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Carers

Full time and part time workers

Disabled people

Single people and childless couples

There are lots of Council Tax Benefit rules that can make a difference

the amount of help a person can get.

We need to make sure we give support to our most vulnerable people.

We want to ask your views on which groups you feel will be more

affected.

This will help us to look at how we can help those most affected.

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We have listed below the rules that will help the Council to save the

money they need. Some of these rules will have to be used together to

help with making the savings needed.

RULES

1. Everybody to pay something towards Council Tax

Some people have all of their Council Tax paid. If this was changed and

everybody had to pay some money towards Council Tax, this could

make all the savings needed.

2. Increase in money paid for Council Tax

Some people have to pay a bit of money towards their Council Tax even

if they do not have a lot of money. If these people pay a bit more money

than they do now, this will make up some of the savings needed. These

are often people who are working.

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3. Stopping extra help with Council Tax

People who work extra hours get some more help with paying their

Council Tax. These are people who work full time, disabled people, or

single parents who work part time. If this extra help stopped, it would

make up some of the savings needed.

4. Include Child Benefit as an Income

People with children get Child Benefit (money for their children). This

money is not included as money coming in (income). If this money was

included, this would make up some of the savings needed.

5. Increase money paid by other adults

Some people get less help towards their Council Tax if they have other

adults living with them who do not have a lot of money. If the other

adults paid more towards Council Tax, this would make up some of the

savings needed.

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6. Changing the amount of savings a person can have People cannot get help with their Council Tax if they have more than

£16,000 saved. If the amount of savings a person was allowed went

down, this would make up some of the savings needed.

7. Changing priority with property sizes

People can get all of their Council Tax paid in any size house. If a

person was only given the amount of help for a smaller house, this

would make up some of the savings needed.

8. Stop help for other adults in the household

People who have enough money to be able to pay their Council Tax but

live with another adult who does not have a lot of money can get help

with paying their Council Tax bill. If this help stopped, it would make up

some of the savings needed.

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Below are some examples of how these rules could be put together to

save the money needed:

Example 1

People would only get up to 75% help with their Council Tax bill.

(Rule 1)

Example 2 - Using all of the rules shown under here


(Rule 1)

Instead of 20%, people would pay 25% of any extra money they

have to their Council Tax Bill (Rule 2)

Help would be stopped for people who work longer hours. (Rule3)

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People with more than £6,000 in savings would not get help with

paying their Council Tax. (Rule 6)



(Rule 1)

Other people living in a house would pay more for their Council

Tax bill. ( Rule 5)

People with more than £10,000 in savings would not get help with

paying their Council Tax. (Rule 6)

This would allow people that worked to keep £10 a week more of

what they had earned.

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(Rule 1)

People with children would have their Child Benefit included in the

money that they have. ( Rule 4)

Information on other possible changes can be found on the:

website at: www.harrow.gov.uk/ctbconsultation

or by Telephoning: 020 8416 8266


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Helping you to understand what effect the changes might have

Here are some real life situations. These may help you understand what

affect the changes might have for different groups of people using the

rules.

MR AND MRS V

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1. Now:

Mr and Mrs V do not have any children

Mr V has a disability and gets disability living allowance

Mrs V works 21 hours a week

Mr and Mrs V live in a council house. They get most of their rent paid,

but have to pay £3 each week.

Their Council Tax bill is £25.46 each week. They get £24.56 from the

council. This means they have to pay 90p each week. ( £3.91 each

month)

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How the examples would affect Mr and Mrs V

Example 1 – Mr and Mrs V would get £19.57 from the council each

week. Meaning they would pay £ 28.34 each month

Example 2 - Mr and Mrs V would get £20.87 from the council each






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MRS W

2. Now

Mrs W is a single parent and has 2 children under 10years

Mrs W works for herself

Mrs W lives in a 2 bedroom flat. She gets most of her rent paid, but

she has to pay £20.00 each week.

Her Council Tax bill is £25.46 each week. She gets £20.54 from the

council. Mrs W pays £4.92 each week. ( £21.38 each month)

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How the examples would affect Mrs W

Example 1 - Mrs W would get £16.27 from the council each week.

Meaning she would pay £42.68 each month

Example 2 – Mrs W would get £14.12 from the council each week.






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MR AND MRS S

3. Now

Mr and Mrs S have four children under 12 years

Mr and Mrs S are both disabled

Mr and Mrs S get Income Support

They rent a 3 bedroom house. They get most of their rent paid, but

have to pay £5.77 each week


council. This means they pay nothing each month.

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How the examples would affect Mr and Mrs S

Example 1- Mr and Mrs S would get £26.91 from the council each

week. Meaning they would pay £38.97 each month

Example 2 – Mr and Mrs S would get £28.70 from the council each


Example 3 – Mr and Mrs S would get £26.91 from the council each


Example 4 - Mr and Mrs S would get £28.70 from the council each


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MR AND MRS N

4. Now

Mr and Mrs N have 2 children under 10 years

Mr N works 35 hours each week. They have an income of £339.11

each week.

They rent a 3 bedroom house. They get most of their rent paid, but

have to pay £35.74 each week.


council. Mr and Mrs N pay £3.90 each week. (£16.95 each month)

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How the examples would affect Mr and Mrs N

Example 1 – Mr and Mrs N would get £20.81 from the council each








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MR A

5. Now

.

Mr A has just lost his job and gets Jobs Seekers Allowance

Mr A has £9,500 saved

Mr A lives on his own in a 1 bedroom flat. He gets most of his rent

paid, but has to pay £9.10 each week

His Council Tax bill is £16.71 each week. Mr A gets £13.91 from the

council. He pays £2.80 each week. (£12.17 each month)

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How the examples would affect Mr A

Example 1 - Mr A would get £10.78 from the council each week.

Meaning he would pay £27.56 each month

Example 2 – Mr A would get nothing from the council each week.

Meaning he would pay all his Council Tax each month

Example 3 – Mr A would get £12.84 from the council each week.


Example 4 – Mr A would get £11.64 from the council each week.


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How different people will be

affected by the different

examples

Smaller Families

They would pay less money with

example 3

They would pay more money with

example 2

Larger families


example 2


example 4

Single parents


example 2


example 1

Carers


example 1


example 4

Workers


example 3


example 4

People with disabilities


example 4


example 3

Single people


example 4


example 3.

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How you can give your views?

We will be talking to you from Monday 11 June 2012, through to

Friday 21 September 2012.

There are lots of ways you can give us your views.

Questionnaires - You can start by filling in the questionnaire at

the back of this booklet.

Road Shows and ‘Go to’ Days - Please come along and talk to

us when we are out, we’ll be around the area at the following times

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Thursday 5th July - 10.00 am to 4.00 pm – Town Centre, outside St. George’s Centre, St Ann’s Road Saturday 14th July - 11.00 am to 5.00 pm - Roxeth Show, Roxeth Recreation Ground, Pitcairn’s Path, Eastcote Road, South Harrow HA2 8LG Thursday 19th July - 10.00 am to midday - Chandos Children’s Centre, 74-78 Chandos Crescent, Edgware, HA8 6HL Saturday 28th July - 12 noon to 4.00pm - Town Centre, outside the St. George’s Centre, St. Ann’s Road Tuesday 7th August - 12 noon to 3.00 pm - Wealdstone Library/Red Brick Café, The Wealdstone Centre, 38/40 High Street, Wealdstone, HA3 7AE Saturday 11th August - 12 noon to 3.00pm – Town Centre, outside the St George’s Centre, St Ann’s Road Saturday 18th August - 12 noon to 4.00pm – Rayners Lane, outside Rayners Lane Station Friday 7th September - 10am to 1.00 pm - Access Harrow, Civic Centre, Station Road, Harrow HA1 2XY

Discussion Groups – We will be talking to people most affected

by the changes.

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Workshops/Meetings – We will be working with voluntary groups

in the area to make sure users and carers of their services are

given the chance to have their say.

Online – Visit www.harrow.gov.uk/ctbconsultation where you’ll

find all the information about the consultation, you can also

complete the questionnaire online.

Telephone Survey –We will be talking to some Council Tax

payers, Council Tax Benefit claimants and residents over the

telephone to find out their views.

Postal Survey – We will be carrying out a postal survey with our

Residents Panel.

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Contact us:

You can give your views in any of these ways:

Web: www.harrow.gov.uk/ctbconsultation

Telephone: 020 8416 8266 - Please note there will sometimes be an answer phone on this telephone. Please leave your name and telephone number and we will call you back.

Freepost: London Borough of Harrow,

Freepost,

P.O Box 730,

Civic Centre,

Harrow,

Middlesex

HA1 2DU

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lbharrow

Twitter: www.twitter.com/harrow_council


mailto:[email protected]

http://www.facebook.com/lbharrow

http://www.twitter.com/harrow_council

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How the decisions will be made

When the consultation is finished, the feedback will be

put together and given to our partners.

No one will know who the feedback is from. They will make sure

your feedback is used when deciding what the new scheme will

look like.

There will be a report given to a council meeting in November,

where the final decision on what the scheme is going to look like

will be made.

We will write a report about the views we have collected and how

they have been used. This will be free for you to read if you would

like to.

We will write to you personally if you are going to be affected.

harrow mencap- council tax accessible booklet f 28.6.12

Documents

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