New council tax bill

[AJSki2fly]

Unless I missed something Marco I don’t think anyone was suggesting not paying their bills or meeting their obligations.

The unprecedented income loss that lots and lots of people in society are likely to face is unlikely to be short term. So for any one actually being able to know what is reasonable or sensible to be able to commit to financially in the future is probably impossible, just as it is impossible at present to predict when the covid-19 will be beaten.


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[Marco]

Hi Adrian,

Unless I missed something Marco I don’t think anyone was suggesting not paying their bills or meeting their obligations.

See highlighted text below, where first *you* quoted me, and then brought up the subject of not paying bills:

I am not so sure. I have spent the morning looking at the various benefits available. JSA, ESA, the ubiquitous universal credit system and so on. Due to my own personal health circumstances I receive ESA, if my wife looses her job then she would either need to claim JSA or UC, now here’s the rub as I understand it, claim UC and you are immediately likely to loose the ESA even though your partner does so, and as far as I can determine UC is the only route to support related to Coronavirus at present.

So IMO it is really not simple, I am reasonably intelligent and find it an utter minefield, so much so that a trip to Citizen Advise is probably needed before making a bad move short term or long term.

As for not paying bills I would be very careful not paying council tax, it is a criminal offence and they pursue it vehemently.

That's what I was referring to. Where did you get the idea of non-payment from? It certainly wasn't from me.

As for the rest, yes, no-one said it was going to be easy, but the fact is that many THOUSANDS of people will be financially affected by the current situation, due to something that has been totally out with of their control, and so allowances will be made for that as far as possible.

Marco.

[AJSki2fly]

I think you may have misunderstood what I was saying Marco, although I may have not been clear and did not mean to imply that you were suggesting people did not pay bills.

I was trying to say to people generally that not paying the council tax bill is not a good way to go as it is the one that is perused hard if not paid, and as you say whoever you owe money to you need to discuss with them to determine what can be done.

The issue as I see it for a lot of people is that if they loose their income and are forced on benefits of whatever sort is that payment of the CT bill may be a huge chunk out of what they receive. There is Council tax relief for those on benefits in our case with Sue claiming JSA (hopefully not) and me receiving ESA then we would get a £47 a month reduction off the CT bill, taking the monthly amount down to £200 a month, not a lot but it helps. By the way the remainder CT to pay is 23.6% out of the benefits received, a big chunk

[Marco]

No problem, Adrian. It was the "As for not paying bills" bit, which suggested you were referring to someone who'd brought up the subject, and as you had quoted me, that's how I drew the conclusion you were referring to me

Marco.

[AJSki2fly]

No worries,


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[Firebottle]

Guys, you don't just not pay bills! Where did I say that?

You CONTACT the companies/organisations you pay money to, for various different services, such as your local council, and advise them that you're in temporary financial difficulty because of the Coronavirus outbreak, which of course they'll be well aware of, and AGREE a mutually acceptable plan to address the situation, based on the help that legally they have to provide, or what is available from the government.

That will then stop the system from chasing you up for the money you owe, *providing* that you comply with the proposals you've agreed - and you do the very same with everyone else you normally pay. What you don't do is force yourself into work because there's 'no other option', and risking your own health or spreading the virus, if you want to pay your bills. As outlined, there *are* other options available, even if they're not always going to be straightforward.

The key, however, if CV is causing you financial difficulty, is to COMMUNICATE with the people you pay, advise them of your current situation and discuss a way forward, not simply just bury your head in the sand.

Marco.

This is such vital advice.
I have once been in the position of not being able to keep the mortgage payments up through redundancy. Communication is more than vital, it is essential.

These organisations would rather you sort a way to continue, albeit it with a delay or reconfigured payments, than be forced into repossession.

Don't put off contacting your provider, they are human after all.

[chris@panteg]

I think more awareness is needed to what people should do, many are confused and worried that they will be forgotten about and left to it!

God I hope it does turn out alright Marco, I'm just concerned that the government have not acted decisively enough, it feels like the ship has sailed? If we end up like where Italy is at the moment?

[Pigmy Pony]

I think more awareness is needed to what people should do, many are confused and worried that they will be forgotten about and left to it!

God I hope it does turn out alright Marco, I'm just concerned that the government have not acted decisively enough, it feels like the ship has sailed? If we end up like where Italy is at the moment?

Chris, your signature was never more apt!

[chris@panteg]

Chris, your signature was never more apt!

Are you the farmer ��

[Macca]

Will you stop saying that? Of course he's the fucking farmer!