Bexley Council seeks opinions on changes to Council Tax Benefit

4:05pm Tuesday 7th August 2012 in News By Jim Palmer

VIEWS are being sought for the planned replacement to Council Tax Benefit, which will be axed by the Government on April 1.

It will be replaced by a council scheme for working aged people called Council Tax Support.

In Bexley, the council is proposing a system where claimants pay a fixed percentage of their council tax and get support for the rest. The amount could be phased in to make it easier to pay.

The period for which the benefit could be backdated would be reduced from six months to one, although the council is considering setting up a hardship fund for those with exceptional circumstances or needs.

Pensioners would be protected.

A public consultation period runs until September 28. Surveys will be sent to a selection of those already receiving Council Tax Benefit and some council taxpayers, while council officers plan to meet local organisations.

Go to Bexley.gov.uk/counciltaxsupport, libraries or council offices for information and to fill in the survey.

Comments(5)

mouthalmighty says...
7:40pm Tue 7 Aug 12

That's it. Hit the poor again. How much will the council save by these new proposals. I think it is a ruse, to get people thinking they are on to benefits claimants, and that they are the reason for society's downfall.

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PaulErith says...
12:41pm Wed 8 Aug 12

mouthalmighty wrote:
That's it. Hit the poor again. How much will the council save by these new proposals. I think it is a ruse, to get people thinking they are on to benefits claimants, and that they are the reason for society's downfall.
The problem is that many of 'the poor' are not actually that poor! They're creaming the benefits system for what it's worth. Yes, there should be a safety net for those who genuinely deserve it. However, that safety net should provide the absolute minimum standard of living to keep these people above the poverty line. Make sure that people do not want to be on benefits, and ensure that scroungers cannot milk the system.

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concerned.erith says...
4:44pm Wed 8 Aug 12

Well said PaulErith. I'm sick of the number of people wearing designer gear and blatantly robbing the system. I used to work in a training place that you had to attend to get the JSA and they openly took the pi*s by not turning up for appointments, stopping a genuine person who wanted to use the service. They knew that all they had to do was move their lazy ar*se to the job centre and that was it for another 2 weeks. Get them to do community work to help repay something to society, they may also actually learn the work ethic!

Before you start - yes I too have been unemployted, found it had to get back to work. But I did go back to work. So I am sick of supporting lazy good for nothings that think the world owe them a living!

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PaulErith says...
9:24am Thu 9 Aug 12

I agree totally that the unemployed should be made to do community work. If they refuse, then their benefits are stopped. I've heard some supporters of the benefits culture say that it's a mith that people choose not to work, but I have seen it. I know several people who are always out at the pub despite the fact that they're on housing benefit, unemployment benefit, etc. Even when they're offered a bit of work, most the time they say that they're better off on benefits.

The lack of work ethic is the main problem. If they HAD to get up and do a 9 to 5 work in the community in order to get their beneifts, they might actually start to realise that getting a job would be a better idea.

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the wall says...
9:13pm Thu 9 Aug 12

concerned.erith and PaulErith - I 100% agree with you (there's a first). The community work could build up some sort of credit/points to pay back housing benefit or council tax. Like you have said they might learn something.

There are many problems within the system. Here is a story:
A man I know is working for a firm (electrician) but as self employed. He is made redundant/ no more work. Decides to take a break from working and live on his savings. Then starts looking for a job but no luck. Now he is no longer qualified can not afford the tests. So is looking for other jobs. To save up the money to get qualified. He went for a driving job 300 people also went for the same job.

It's tough out there but a lot of people are sucking the system dry.

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