Council Tax Support scheme- changes from 1st April 2013
Council Tax Benefit is to be abolished from April 2013 and
replaced with a local Council Tax Support scheme. The
Council sought views on the options to include in the local
Council Tax Support Scheme in it's consultation starting 29th
August 2012 and ending on 28th October 2012.
Please see the Council Tax Benefit
page for Welfare reform for more information about the results
of the consultation and a full copy of the Council's proposed
scheme which will be considered by full council on 29th January
2013.
Important changes to Housing Benefit (local Housing
Allowance)
From April 2011 the Government made further changes to
Housing Benefit (also called Local Housing Allowance), for tenants
renting from a landlord in the private sector. Local Housing
Allowances (LHA) are now worked out using an average of the
cheapest 1/3 of properties in the area. From January
2012, this change started to affect people who were
already receiving LHA in April 2011 when the change came in. These
people were protected on the "old rate" of LHA until the
anniversary of their claim plus 9 months.
Also from January 2012, all single people who live alone and are
under the age of 35yrs, have had their Housing Benefit
calculated based on the Local Housing Allowance rate for shared
accommodation, regardless of how many bedrooms their property has.
. Please see the Local
Housing Allowance page for more details.
There are more changes to Housing Benefit coming in as
part of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 which will start from April
2013 when LHA moves to one annual review every April, instead of on
the anniversary of the claim. Please see our page on
Housing Benefit
Reform for more information.
Bassetlaw Residential Landlords Association
The next BRLA meeting will take place on Wednesday 6th March
2013 at 7:00pm, at The Old Vicarage, Park Lane, Elkesley, Retford,
Notts. DN22 8AR.
The guest speakers will be Mrs Wendy Piggott, discussing how
Bassetlaw District Council will be engaging with the Green Deal and
ECO, and Mrs Karen Tarburton from RCAN giving advice on how
landlords and tenants can ensure that they are getting the best
deal for their energy.
For further information, please contact Susan Jubb on 01777
838522.
New service charge deductions from April 2013
From April 2013, the standard fuel deductions the Benefits
Unit may make from inclusive rents have changed, also changed, are
the meal deductions. This is where services such as fuel or meals
are included in the rent but not eligible for Housing Benefit. The
changes are as follow:
| Heating |
£25.60 per week
|
|
Hot Water
|
£2.95 per week |
|
Lighting
|
£2.05 per week |
|
Cooking
|
£2.95 per week |
|
All fuel
|
£33.55 per week |
|
All fuel (1 room)
|
£15.30 per week |
| Cooking (1 room) |
£2.95 per week |
| Meals
- Adults over 16 years (weekly) |
Cost |
| 3 or more meals a day |
£25.85 |
| Less than 3 meals a day |
£17.20 |
| Breakfast only |
£3.15 |
| Meals
- Children under 16 years (weekly) |
Cost |
| 3 or more meals a day |
£13.10 |
| Less than 3 meals a day |
£8.65 |
| Breakfast only |
£3.15 |
You may wish to consider these if re-setting your inclusive
rents for 2013.
Government Introduces Tenancy Deposit schemes
Tenancy deposit law was introduced on 6th April 2007 to give
more protection to tenants by preventing landlords and letting
agents from unfairly with holding a tenant's deposit.
From 6 April 2007, all deposits (up to the level of £25,000)
taken by landlords and letting agents for Assured Shorthold
Tenancies in England and Wales, must be protected by a tenancy
deposit protection scheme.
What are Tenancy Deposit Schemes?
There are two types of protection scheme available,
- Insurance-based schemes
- Custodial schemes
Both
schemes provide a free dispute resolution service..... more details
can be found on the Government
website.
You can also download leaflets for yourself and your tenant
(in English & Polish) on our forms & leaflets to download page.
Keep these pages in your favourites and check regularly for
updates and events in your area.
Last Updated - 28/01/2013