Council Tax fact sheets Duilleagan fiosrachaidh mun Chìs Chomhairle

Transcription

1 Council Tax fact sheets Duilleagan fiosrachaidh mun Chìs Chomhairle 6 Advice and assistance Comhairle agus cuideachadh 1 st April st March

2 Advice and assistance Comhairle agus cuideachadh Have your circumstances changed? If your circumstances have changed and you are in receipt of council tax reduction and/or housing benefit please make sure you write as soon as possible to our Operations Team. Address: Operations Team, PO Box 5650, Inverness, IV3 5YX Have you changed address? Has anyone moved into/out of your home? Has there been a change in your income? Have you had any other changes? Changes can affect how much Council Tax you pay and the amount of Housing Benefit you receive. If you don t report your changes you may be losing out or you may be given too much Discount, Exemption and/or Reduction from your Council Tax. If that happens, you may have to pay money back to the Council. If you deliberately fail to notify us of a change or provide false information, you may be prosecuted. For help and advice Telephone: Our Customer Services Team on Visit: A designated office at any of our Service Points. OR contact our Operations Team: Operations.Team@highland.gov.uk Freephone: Write to: Operations Team, PO Box 5650, Inverness, IV3 5YX To protect the security of your personal data, please do NOT send personal data to the above address or any address listed in these fact sheets. 2

3 Help to maximise your income Are you claiming your benefits and entitlements? You are better off finding out where you can get free, confidential and impartial help. Our aim is to put more money in your pocket so that you can pay your bills, heat your home and have a better quality of life. We do this by ensuring that individuals who are eligible for benefits and other entitlements have the advice and assistance available to them to access their full entitlement. The Customer Income Maximisation Team can advise you about all the benefits and other entitlements that are available, undertake benefit checks to ensure you are not missing out and provide assistance to help you complete the relevant forms. For further information on various benefits, other entitlements, money advice and energy efficiency please see our booklet entitled An Essential Guide to benefits, money advice, energy advice and other support available at any Service Point or via the Council s website. Website: Many benefits are means tested, i.e. your income and capital are taken into account. However some are not; some are based on your individual circumstances where you need help to look after yourself because of physical or mental disabilities, for example Personal Independence Payments, Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance. You may be eligible for these benefits even if no one is actually giving you the care you need, or if you live alone. If awarded, these benefits act as a gateway to other types of help which can include additional premiums in the assessment of Income Support, income based Job Seeker s Allowance, income related Employment and Support Allowance, Housing Benefit, Pension Credit and Tax Credits. These additional premiums potentially increase the amount of money you receive. They may also qualify you for concessions on public transport, the Motability Scheme and the Blue Badge Scheme (an administration charge applies for this scheme). Entitlement to Personal Independence Payments, Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance may also entitle someone who cares for you to receive additional help. We can also assist you with advice and support if your application for benefit or other entitlements is turned down and you wish to appeal against the decision. If required, we will accompany you and represent you at Tribunal Hearings. Universal Credit will simplify the benefits system by bringing together a range of working age benefits into a single streamlined payment. When Universal Credit is fully implemented it will replace the following means tested benefits: Income Support, income based Job Seeker s Allowance, income based Employment and Support Allowance, Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credits and Working Tax Credits. If you are single and have just become unemployed, you may be able to claim Universal Credit. Couples and families that are linked to Inverness Jobcentre can also claim Universal Credit. If you are concerned about how these changes may affect you, or you require general advice about the changes, please do not hesitate to contact us. 3

4 Example 1 Ms T was referred to the Customer Income Maximisation Team by The Highland Council s Community Services. Ms T had suffered a marital breakdown and was struggling financially with her children. A benefit entitlement check was undertaken by a Customer Income Maximisation Officer based on Ms T s circumstances. The only income she was in receipt of was Child Tax Credits. Through our help and advice in applying for applicable benefits Ms T received Income Support of per week, Housing Benefit of per week and Council Tax Reduction of per week. In addition, Ms T was affected by the under occupancy rules and our Customer Income Maximisation Officer supported Ms T to successfully apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment of per week to mitigate the impact of the reduction in her Housing Benefit. These benefits have increased Ms T s income by per week. Example 2 Mrs M contacted our Customer Income Maximisation team for advice about welfare benefits for her husband who had planned to work past his retirement but was diagnosed with a chronic condition so was unable to do so. Our Customer Income Maximisation Officer undertook a benefit check for Mr & Mrs M based on their circumstances and made them aware of the benefits they may be entitled to claim. Over a period of several months we supported Mr M with applications for Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction and Attendance Allowance. Mr M was awarded Pension Credit of per week (including severe disability premium). In addition Mr M received Attendance Allowance at the higher rate 81.30, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction Following these awards our Income Maximisation Officer explained other benefits and entitlements which Mr M and his wife may be entitled to apply for in future when their circumstances change. These benefits have increased Mr M s income by per week. Example 3 Mrs J was referred to the Customer Income Maximisation Team by her Midwife. She was having health issues and was unable to sustain her employment. Mrs J had been living off her Statutory Sick Pay and savings which were both now exhausted. Mrs J s husband was self-employed. However he was having difficulties to find work and did not have a regular income. Following a home visit by our Customer Income Maximisation Officer and a benefit check being undertaken, our officer supported Mrs J to claim Employment and Support Allowance per week, Housing Benefit of per week, Council Tax Reduction of per week and a Discretionary Housing Payment total award of Our Customer Income Maximisation adviser will also make contact with Mrs J nearer her due date to offer more assistance. In addition The Highland Council Money Advice Team has provided support relating to the couple s financial affairs. These benefits have increased Mr J s income by per week. 4

5 Getting in touch with us is the first step to maximising your potential income. You can contact the Council s Customer Income Maximisation Team: by completing our new secure online form at: Please select Benefits Advice in the first drop down menu called Advice Type. by phoning: by ing: income.maximisation@highland.gov.uk or by writing to us at: PO Box 5775, Inverness, IV1 9EN If you are having difficulty paying If you are having difficulty budgeting, paying your bills or are worried about your finances, please contact our free, confidential and impartial Money Advice service by completing our new secure online form at: Website: Or you can contact us by: money.advice@highland.gov.uk Phone: Remember to claim a reduction from your council tax if you are on a low income and having difficulties paying. We aim to provide a same day response if you contact us by telephone or . If you contact us, you can talk to an experienced money adviser who can discuss your current financial situation and give you options to help you deal with your situation. We can provide budgeting and debt advice and if you wish, we can negiotiate with your creditors on your behalf; we will do as much or as little as you want us to do. We will give you impartial advice and assistance to help you get back in control of your finances. Alternatively, you may wish to contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau in the strictest of confidence. You can find out more about debt and the consequences at: Website: If you feel you would like to try and deal with your debts yourself, you can phone the National Debtline or go to their website. National Debtline phone: National Debtline website: Discretionary Housing Payments If you are a tenant in the private or social rented sector and are in receipt of housing benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit and need help to pay any shortfall between your rent and your benefit entitlement, you may be eligible for a Discretionary Housing Payment. These payments are intended for those on low incomes who require extra financial support with their housing costs. This includes help to pay rent deposits and rent in advance. For more information, please visit our website: 5

6 Advice and assistance General advice and assistance about Benefits and Council Tax Discounts, Reduction and Exemptions are available from any Highland Council Service Point. Our Service Point staff are fully trained to provide advice about claiming Housing Benefit and Council Tax Discounts, Reduction and Exemptions. If you have difficulty with your vision, reading or writing, they can also assist you to complete the relevant application form. Visiting Services If you are frail, elderly or vulnerable and are unable to attend one of the Council s Service Points, our Visiting Officers are available to visit you in your home to provide advice and assistance with claiming Housing Benefits and/or Council Tax Discounts, Reduction and Exemptions. Please visiting.officers@highland.gov.uk or phone: Claim Forms Claim Forms can be downloaded from our website or are available from any Service Point or our Customer Services Centre. Webiste: Customer Services Centre phone: Service Points and Customer Services Centre Our Service Points and Customer Services Centre deal with all general telephone enquiries from the public. Customer Services Centre phone: Customer Service Centre customer.service@highland.gov.uk Our Customer Services Centre operates: 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday and 9am to noon, on a Saturday. Our friendly, experienced staff are here to help you with any Council enquiry and provide access to a wide range of services. If we cannot help, we will arrange for a specialist to deal with your enquiry. Job vacancies in the Highlands As the largest employer in the Highlands, The Highland Council has an unrivalled range of excellent job opportunities. Whatever your educational background, your age, whether you have little work experience or a lot there may be job opportunities for you. If you cannot work full time, most of our jobs are open to job sharing and there is also a range of part time, standby, casual and sessional jobs. Our aim is to improve the quality of life in the Highlands. Make it yours too. All Highland Council job vacancies can be viewed on the national recruitment portal: Website: You can sign-up to receive alerts from this site and to get updates on Universal Jobmatch is a free online job posting and matching service for companies and anyone who is looking for work. For more information go to 6

7 The Highland Council Employability Service The Highland Council Employability Service offers support for people who face barriers into work, training, volunteering and accessing services. The Highland Council and partners run Work Clubs. They are specifically targeted at the heart of the community. They also offer support in looking and gaining a job and with benefit queries and online IT support. For further information about Work Clubs in your area contact the Council s Employability Service: employability@highland.gov.uk Phone: Citizens Advice The Council invests in excess of 1.3m per annum in the Citizens Advice Bureaux in Highland to ensure that individuals and households across the Highlands can access free and confidential advice on a range of matters including benefits, housing, money advice and employment. Caithness Citizens Advice Bureaux 1A Beach Court, Thurso KW14 8AD Phone: Nairn Citizens Advice Bureaux 6 High Street, Nairn IV12 4BJ Phone: East Sutherland Citizens Advice Bureaux Station Road, Golspie KW10 6SN Phone: Inverness, Badenoch and Strathspey Citizens Advice Bureaux 103 Academy Street, Inverness IV1 1LX Phone: (Advice) Phone: (Reception) Lochaber Citizens Advice Bureaux Dudley Road, Lochaber, Fort William PH33 6JB Phone: North and West Sutherland Citizens Advice Bureaux The Harbour, Kinlochbervie IV27 4RR Phone: Ross & Cromarty Citizens Advice Bureaux Balallan, 4 Novar Road, Alness IV17 0QG Phone: Skye and Lochalsh Citizens Advice Bureaux The Green, Portree IV51 9BT Phone: Please note, the information provided on this factsheet is correct at the time of going to print. Government changes to the welfare benefit and council tax systems may mean that this information quickly becomes out of date. If you are unsure about how changes to the benefit and council tax systems affect you, please contact the Council s Customer Income Maximisation Team. Customer Income Maximisation Team income.maximisation@highland.gov.uk Customer Income Maximisation Team Phone:

8 You can pay your Council Tax weekly, fortnightly, monthly by 10 or 12 instalments, quarterly or by a lump sum payment; the choice is yours. It s quick and simple to set up - phone us today on Why not join our 77,807 customers who already pay their Council Tax by Direct Debit? If you choose to pay by Direct Debit you will receive a bill showing amounts which we will collect from your account safe in the knowledge that a set amount will be collected every period. You give us your details only once, and every year we will do the rest. Paying by Direct Debit means that you won t have to queue to make payments and you won t be in danger of falling into arrears. To cater for all our customers needs, instalment plans that provide payment breaks in either July and August or December and January are available. Alternatively you may prefer a break in February and March. Our full range of payment options is as follows: lump sum payment on the 1st, 15th or 28th of the month; weekly on a Friday; fortnightly on a Friday; 10 monthly instalments on the 1st, 15th or 28th of the month from April to January (payment holiday February and March); 10 monthly instalments on the 1st, 15th or 28th of the month from April to June and September to March (payment holiday July and August); 10 monthly instalments on the 1st, 15th or 28th of the month from April to November and February to March (payment holiday December and January); 12 monthly instalments on the 1st, 15th or 28th of the month; or quarterly instalments on the 1st of the following months: April, July, October and January. Once your Council Tax for 2015/16 is paid in full please do not cancel your Direct Debit instruction with your bank as the Council will not debit your account with further instalments until after the start of the financial year 2016/17. We will issue you with your 2016/17 bill at least 14 days prior to deducting your first instalment for that year. We hold an Equalities Register of people who have particular needs e.g. visual impairment. To have your name added to this Register or to request this fact sheet and further information/ application forms regarding Council Tax and Housing Benefit in an alternative format e.g. Large print, braille, audio or suitable language, please contact any Council Service Point. Operations.Team@highland.gov.uk Operations Team, PO Box 5650, Inverness IV3 5YX 8