A Guide to the Running Costs of an A1 Home

Transcription

1 How to contact us On-line By text message By phone Head Offi ce Area Office West Area Office East Freephone Repairs and Contact Centre am - 5pm Visit our website at You can also us at customer.services@a1housing.co.uk A Guide to the Running Costs of an A1 Home By visiting us Head Office Carlton Forest House, Hundred Acre Lane, Worksop, Notts S81 0TS Area Office East 17B The Square, Retford, Notts DN22 6DB Area Office West Queen s Buildings, Potter Street, Worksop, Notts S80 2AH All of our offices are open Monday to Friday between 8.40am and 5pm By writing to us A1 Housing Bassetlaw Limited Carlton Forest House, Hundred Acre Lane, Worksop, Notts S81 0TS Developed in partnership with tenants A1 Housing Bassetlaw Ltd, a company controlled by Bassetlaw District Council HOUSING GL29 version 2-10/11 Providing Quality Homes & Neighbourhoods HOUSING

2 If you need any help communicating with us or understanding any of our documents, please contact us on Mandarin Urdu Punjabi Contents Page What is Rent? 4 Council Tax 6 Insurance 7 Water Rates 8 Supporting People Charge 9 District Heating Charge 10 Gas/Electricity Charges 11 TV Licence 12 Housekeeping 13 Additional Income 14 So how much does it cost? 15 Polish We can arrange for a copy of this document in large print, audiotape, Braille or for a Language Line interpreter or translator to help you. Our contact details: ) customer.services@a1housing.co.uk 2 RUNNING COSTS OF AN A1 HOUSING HOME RUNNING COSTS OF AN A1 HOUSING HOME 3

3 What is Rent? Rent is the charge for living in one of our properties. The rent charge for council properties managed by A1 Housing includes the cost of most dayto-day repairs to maintain the property to a decent standard. Examples of circumstances in which Housing Benefit can be paid are: Income Support You can claim Housing Benefi t to cover the full cost of your rent charge if you are receiving Income Support. However, this may not be the case if you have anyone over 18 years old living with you. Working and on a low income A calculation can be done on your income which also includes any savings and Tax Credits. This is then used to calculate the amount of Housing Benefi t that can be awarded to you to help with your housing costs. You can claim help towards paying your rent if you are on a low income. If you think that you may be entitled to some assistance, you should fi ll in a claim form for Housing Benefi t. What is Housing Benefit? Pension Credit An assessment can be done on the amount of money you get from your state pension and any private pension(s) and savings. If your weekly income is below the set guidelines, pension credit can be awarded to top up your pension. If you receive guarantee Pension Credit then you will be entitled to full Housing Benefi t and Council Tax Benefit. If you would like any help with money advice please contact A1 Housing s Money Advisor, on or send an to money.advise@a1housing.co.uk Housing Benefi t is a benefi t for people on a low income to help them pay their rent. You may be able to get Housing Benefi t if you are on other benefi ts, work part-time or work full time on a low income. Housing Benefi t is paid by Bassetlaw District Council directly to A1 Housing, and does not affect any other benefi ts you may be entitled to. You must let the Benefi t Unit know of any change in your circumstances as soon as the change occurs. 4 RUNNING COSTS OF AN A1 HOUSING HOME RUNNING COSTS OF AN A1 HOUSING HOME 5

4 What is Council Tax? Council Tax is one way local councils raise money to pay for their services and is charged on all properties where someone lives. How much Council Tax someone has to pay is based on the value of their property, and the band into which the property falls. Most properties owned by A1 Housing are in Band A which is the lowest band, and the average charge for 2009/10 is per week. A full Council Tax bill is based on 2 people over the age of 18 living in a property. However there are a number of ways your bill can be reduced. For example: If someone lives on their own If some people are not counted because they are for example a student If someone who lives in a property is disabled If you are on a low income you may also be entitled to Housing and Council Tax Benefit. For more information about Council Tax call / If you need help and advice about Council Tax Benefi t or Housing Benefi t, phone / / Insurance There are 2 types of property insurance buildings and contents. A1 Housing covers the building insurance of the property. This cover provides protection for the structure of the property, but doesn t cover the contents of the property. Many tenants believe the Council automatically insures their furniture, belongings and decorations against fi re, theft and vandalism.this IS NOT THE CASE Many people feel more secure if they protect their belongings by taking out contents insurance. It is strongly recommended that you take out Contents Insurance yourself, in case your belongings are damaged or stolen. Here at A1 Housing we have made it easy for our tenants to insure their belongings under a special Pay As You Go policy that provides cover from just 1.17 per week. To fi nd out more about the insurance scheme for A1 Housing tenants call our Money Advisor on More information is also available at 6 RUNNING COSTS OF AN A1 HOUSING HOME RUNNING COSTS OF AN A1 HOUSING HOME 7

5 It is advisable to check what different insurance companies offer to make sure you find the right level of cover. For those with access to the internet, you can use a number of websites to compare what insurance companies offer and how much it costs. Water Rates Water Rates are the charge for the water supply to your home. This charge is separate to your rent, you must pay this charge out of your income even if you get Housing Benefi t. If you have a low usage of water it is often cheaper to have a water meter fi tted. You can contact your supplier for more details. Seven Trent Water Can be contacted on or Anglian Water Can be contacted on or Supporting People Charge The Supporting People Charge is for A1 Housing s Warden Service, provided to our tenants in properties such as bungalows and sheltered housing accommodation. The level of support required is assessed by a visiting Warden in the early stages of a new tenancy, but this can be reviewed at a later stage. The amount of support provided ranges from weekly, monthly or quarterly visits. Supported housing properties are fi tted with alarm pull-cords and pendants connected to our 24 hour Contact Centre, providing an essential lifeline in an emergency. The charges for this service from April 2010 are: per week for sheltered accommodation A Weekly service 8.98 per week, Monthly service 5.45 per week or a Quarterly service 2.95 per week. If you are in receipt of Housing Benefi t the Supporting People Charge is paid for by the Government. For more information please contact or nottssupportingpeople@nottscc.gov.uk IF YOUR SURFACE WATER DRAINS INTO A SOAK AWAY, YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE TO A LOWER SEWERAGE CHARGE 8 RUNNING COSTS OF AN A1 HOUSING HOME RUNNING COSTS OF AN A1 HOUSING HOME 9

6 District Heating Charge Some A1 Housing properties are covered by District Heating. This means that there is a shared heating system with others. The District Heating is a weekly charge. The cost of District Heating will vary depending on the property. If you live in a property with District Heating then you will pay the weekly charge on top of your rent. Housing Benefi t does not cover this charge and you will have to pay this out of your own income. For some people the weekly payments are an advantage and represent good value for money. However, you must think carefully about whether this is the case for you as you cannot opt out of the charge. Examples of the weekly charge: Sheltered Housing bed bungalow /3 bed house Gas/Electricity Charges Every home has an electricity supply and in order to use it, payments must be made to the company who is responsible for it. Many homes also have a gas supply, for heating and/or cooking. This must also be paid for. For a number of years, different energy supply companies have been able to compete to supply gas and electricity to homes. However, not all companies offer a supply to every area and it is important to check which companies operate in the area in which you live, and which one offers you the best deal. You can usually save money if you use the same company for both your gas and electricity supply. The cost of electricity and gas will vary on the amount you use. Low Users Pay on average between 44 and 68 per month (based on annual consumption of 1,650 kwh electric, 10,000 kwh gas) Medium Users Pay on average between 70 and 92 per month (based on annual consumption of 3,300 kwh electric, 20,500 kwh gas) High Users Pay on average between 95 and 130 per month, (based on annual consumption of 4,950 kwh electric, 28,000 kwh gas) Because electricity and gas prices fl uctuate these figures may change. These fi gures are estimates provided by Energywatch. 10 RUNNING COSTS OF AN A1 HOUSING HOME RUNNING COSTS OF AN A1 HOUSING HOME 11

7 TV Licence Most people have to pay for a TV Licence for their home. Checks are made regularly and there is a large fi ne for anyone who doesn t have a proper licence. Pensioners over 75 years old do not have to pay for a TV Licence. Blind people can also get a reduction of 50% of the full cost of a TV Licence. The cost of a colour licence is per year. The cost of a black and white licence is per year. For more information call TV Licensing on or visit Housekeeping Once you have moved into your property and budgeted for all your bills, there is also the cost of food, cleaning products, toiletries and general living expenses. A weekly food bill can and does vary a lot depending on where you shop. Below is a guide to what is considered an acceptable level of weekly housekeeping, (depending on the size of your household): 1 Adult Adults Adult / 1 Dependant Adult / 2 Dependants Adult / 3 Dependants Adults / 1 Dependant Adults / 2 Dependants Adults / 3 Dependants RUNNING COSTS OF AN A1 HOUSING HOME RUNNING COSTS OF AN A1 HOUSING HOME 13

8 Additional Income Some people may need help and support to live independently. Others, already living in their own home and suffering severe fi nancial hardship, may be able to claim additional income and assistance. Examples of these include: Tax Credits - Paid by the Government. They are split into two types, Working Tax Credits for those working on a low income, and Child Tax Credits for those who have at least one child in their care. Disabled Living Allowance - A tax free benefi t for adults and children with a long term illness or disability. It can be paid in addition to other benefi ts and can also be paid if your working. Carer s Allowance - A taxable benefi t to help people look after someone who is disabled. You need to be aged over 16 and spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone. Community Care Grant - Paid as a one-off payment and does not affect your other benefi t entitlements. It is not a loan and you don t have to repay it. Pension Credit - There are two different types of Pension Credit. Guarantee Credit for those aged 60 or over on a low income, and Savings Credit for those aged 65 or over with private pensions or savings. Some of these extra allowances are paid on a weekly basis and are classed as extra income for benefi t purposes. You must therefore report any change in your circumstances to the appropriate authorities. This list is not exhaustive and it depends on your circumstances as to whether you are able to apply for this sort of assistance. For further information about these and other possible payments contact Jobcentre Plus on , or A1 Housing s Money Advisor on money.advisor@a1housing.co.uk So how much does it cost per week to live in an A1 Housing property? (based on 09/10 figures) Bed Sit Bungalow 2 Bed 3 Bed 4 Bed Sheltered Rent Council Tax Insurance Water Rates Supporting People Charge District Heating Gas/Electricity based on medium use TV Licence Food & Housekeeping Total These are examples of how much it will cost you per week to live in a range of different homes. The actual cost will depend on the size of your home, how many people are in your family, what you eat and how much energy you use etc. Some costs may also change during the year, such as in Winter when you have the heating on for longer periods of time. 14 RUNNING COSTS OF AN A1 HOUSING HOME RUNNING COSTS OF AN A1 HOUSING HOME 15