bedroom tax?

i have one spare room that my carer using that ,housing benefit is going to be paid but today i revived council tax asking me to pay 120 pound but i dont understand if they accept my spare room is not under occupying why should i pay bedroom tax?

dose any one know it? could you please give me advise thanks very much

[Mdaisy]

Hello Akram,

As far as I am aware you can contact your local council to ask about an application process whereby you can provide evidence of the usage of the spare room. The aim is to show the functional use of the room for such reasons ie, for disability equipment or for a carer (in your case) and therefore possibly get a reduction of tax or eligible for an exemption.

Here is a link to the factsheet by Disability Rights UK on Bedroom Tax

disabilityrightsuk.org/bedr...

Hope this helps

Emma

[LindseyMid in reply to Mdaisy]

As far as I understand from the above info, if you and your carer may be considered a couple, then your second room is not considered as being in use. And if they don't live with you all the time, it is not considered to be in use.

Disabled adults are getting hit hard by this.

[Hidden]

Hi forgive me for asking a stupid question ... I have just just woken up.....I read and re read your post you say you are getting housing benefit but you have been asked to pay council tax.... Of £120 ... Are you mixing up bedroom tax with council tax ... As many many councils this year have stopped giving 100% council tax benefit and are asking everyone of working age on benefits or working on a low income with tax credits etc to pay a small percentage of the council tax . We used to qualify for the 100% rebate now we qualify for our councils top rebate of 75% so we have just had a council tax bill in for £250 pounds. I know its not bedroom tax as we own our bungalow and only have two bedrooms which are both used as we have a son..

Apologies if I have read this wrong

VG x

[sadoldred]

You are right Very-Grumpy the bedroom tax and council tax are not connected they are two separate bills! Bedroom tax is for spare bedrooms and council tax is for services such as the Police, area of land your house is on how big your house is what area. etc

[Sylvo]

Council tax is not bedroom tax what's happened is people on benefit in general are no longer receiving full ct benefit everyone has to pay 10 or 20 percent except in some cases disabled people or elderly people and carers on carers allowance are exempt ,you should just check with your local council they will tell you if your exempt .

[lucys9560]

Hi the housing benefit is the one that is linked to the bedroom tax.with your spare bedroom being occupied by your carer you will get full hb depenfding on your income.however the council tax reform states you can only get a max of 70% support/benefit and there is no longer discount for second adult in the property.I work for stoke on trent city council but it might be worth speaking to your local council to see if you are eligable for the discretionary housing payment.regards lucy x