Running Costs The Cost of Living in an A1 Property
Providing Quality Homes & Neighbourhoods
At a glance What does it cost per week to live in an A1 Housing property? One Bed
Two Bed
Three Bed
Four Bed
Bungalow
Sheltered Flat
Rent
62.94
72.96
81.13
88.73
76.01
58.19
Council Tax
23.08
23.08
23.08
23.08
23.08
23.08
Insurance
1.50
1.50
1.50
1.50
1.50
1.50
Water Rates
5.30
7.40
7.40
8.47
7.40
5.30
Community Alarm
-
-
-
-
3.00
6.15
District Heating
-
-
-
-
-
15.70
Electric & Gas*
20.00
25.00
30.00
35.00
20.00
20.00
TV Licence
2.79
2.79
2.79
2.79
2.79
2.79
Housekeeping**
50.00
65.00
105.00
125.00
65.00
50.00
TOTAL
165.61 197.73 250.90 284.57 198.78 182.71 *Based on medium use. **Including food.
These are examples of how much it will cost 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. Some costs may also change during the year, such as winter when you have the heating on for longer periods.
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Contents Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page What is Rent? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 What is Housing Benefit? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 What is Council Tax? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Contents Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Water Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Community Alarm Charge
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District Heating Charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Electricity & Gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 TV Licence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Housekeeping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Additional Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Useful Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Contact Us
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What is Rent? Rent is the charge for living in one of our properties. This includes most day-to-day repairs to maintain the property to a decent standard. You can claim help towards your rent if you are on a low income. If you think that you may be entitled to assistance, you should fill in a claim form for Housing Benefit.
What is Housing Benefit? Housing Benefit is for people on a low income, whether in work or unemployed, to help them to pay their rent. You may be able to get Housing Benefit if you receive other benefits or Pension Credit Guarantee Credit. It is paid by Bassetlaw District Council directly to A1 Housing and does not affect any other benefits you may be entitled to. If your circumstances change, you must let the Benefits Unit know as soon as the change occurs. Universal Credit is replacing Housing Benefit for working age people. The Government has combined a range of benefits into a single benefit called Universal Credit. In Bassetlaw it started to be phased in from February 2015 and is paid directly to a claimant’s bank account by one payment each month. This means A1 Housing will no longer automatically receive the Housing Benefit part. Tenants receiving Universal Credit will be responsible for paying their rent to A1 Housing. You will need to open a Bank Account. If you do not already have one, our Money Advisors can help you with this - call them on 0800 590 542.
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Circumstances in which Housing Benefit can be paid are: • Income Support, Income Based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Related Employment & Support Allowance You may receive Housing Benefit to cover the full cost of your rent if you are receiving certain welfare benefits. However, this may not be the case if you have anyone over 18 years old living with you or you are under-occupying your home. • Working and on a low income A calculation can be done on your income, savings and tax credits. This is then used to calculate the amount of Housing Benefit that can be awarded to you. • 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 income. If you receive Pension Guarantee Credit then you will be entitled to full Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction. If, before you move into a property, you would like an estimate of the amount of Housing Benefit you are likely to receive or to have a free Pre Tenancy Financial Health Check please contact our Money Advisors on 0800 590 542.
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What is Council Tax? Council Tax is one of the ways local councils raise money to pay for their services and is charged on all A1 Housing properties. How much Council Tax someone has to pay is based on the value of their property and the band into which it falls. Most A1 Housing properties are in Band A (lowest band) and the average charge for 2016/17 is £23.08 a week. A full Council Tax bill is based on two 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 someone who lives in the property is disabled • Some people are not counted, eg because they are a student If you are on a low income you may also be entitled to Council Tax Support. If you claim Universal Credit you will have to make a seperate claim for Council Tax Reduction under Bassetlaw District Council’s Local Council Tax Support Scheme. For more information about Council Tax call Bassetlaw District Council on 01909 533 533 or visit www.bassetlaw.gov.uk
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Contents Insurance There are two types of property insurance - Buildings and Contents. A1 Housing covers the buildings insurance of the property. This cover provides protection for the structure and fixtures and fittings of the property, but does not cover the contents of the property. Many tenants believe that the Council automatically insures their furniture, belongings and decorations against fire, flood, theft and vandalism. THIS IS NOT THE CASE. A1 Housing have made it easy for our tenants to insure their belongings under a special Pay As You Go policy that provides cover from just £1.92 a fortnight. To find out more about A1 Housing’s Contents Insurance Scheme, please call Crystal Insurance on 0345 450 7286. It is advisable to check what different insurance companies offer to make sure you find the right type of cover for you. For those with internet access you can use a number of websites to compare what insurance companies offer and costs. A few of these sites are listed below: • www.moneysupermarket.com • www.moneysavingexpert.com • www.comparethemarket.com
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Water Rates Water Rates are the charge for the supply and removal of water at your home. This charge is separate to your rent. You must pay this charge even if you get Housing Benefit. If you have a low usage of water it is often cheaper to have a water meter fitted. You can contact your supplier for more details.
Did you know?
You can change to a water meter for 12 months to see if it’s cheaper.
If it’s not, then you can go back to your previous billing arrangement. This gives you the chance to see how much money you can save.
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Community Alarm Charge The Community Alarm Charge is payable for properties connected to A1 Housing’s personal alarm system, eg bungalows and sheltered housing flats. The service provides an essential lifeline in an emergency. The weekly charge for 2016/17 is £6.15 per week for Independent Living accommodation and £3.00 per week for all other properties. The charge is mandatory and must be paid. Housing Benefit does not cover the charge and it has to be paid for out of your own income.
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District Heating Charge Some A1 Housing properties are on a shared heating system, this is known as District Heating. There is a weekly charge for District Heating in addition to the rent. Housing Benefit does not cover the charge. For the majority of people the weekly charge represents 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. The District Heating Charge for 2016/17 is ÂŁ17.50 per week in our Independent Living Schemes.
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Electricity & Gas Every home has an electricity supply and in order to use it, payments must be made to the company who supplies it. Many homes also have a gas supply for heating and / or cooking. This must also be paid for. Different energy supply companies can compete to supply homes. You can usually save money by using the same company for both your electricity and gas supply, and get a further discount for paying by Direct Debit. The cost of electricity and gas will vary on the amount you use. • Low users - average between £77 / £89 a month (based on annual consumption of 2,000 kWh electric, 9,000 kWh gas) • Medium users - average between £110 / £124 a month (based on annual consumption of 3,200 kWh electric, 13,500 kWh gas) • High users - average between £154 / £170 a month (based on annual consumption of 4,900 kWh electric, 19,000 kWh gas) All prices shown include VAT at 20% and reflect all known price changes at the time of publication. The National Housing Federation recommends comparing electricity and gas prices as soon as you can and operates a service to do this. A1 Housing tenants can switch to the cheapest suppliers for their area. For details contact 0800 001 4706 or visit energylinx.co.uk
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TV Licence Most people have to pay for a TV Licence for their home. Checks are made regularly by TV Licensing and there is a large fine for anyone who doesn’t have a licence or the proper one. Pensioners over 75 do not have to pay for a TV Licence and people who are registered blind / partially sighted can get a 50% reduction. The current cost per year is £145.50 for a colour and £49 for a black and white TV licence. For more information call TV Licensing on 0844 496 6071 or visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk
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Housekeeping Once you’ve moved into your property and budgeted for your bills, there’s also the cost of food, cleaning products, toiletries and other general living expenses to take into account. A weekly food bill can and does vary a lot, depending on where you shop. Below is a guide of average weekly housekeeping costs: One Adult
£50.00
Two Adults
£65.00
One Adult + One Dependant
£70.00
One Adult + Two Dependants
£90.00
One Adult + Three Dependants
£110.00
Two Adults + One Dependant
£105.00
Two Adults + Two Dependants
£125.00
Two Adults + Three Dependants
£145.00
To help keep costs down • Make a shopping list and stick to it • Avoid going shopping when you’re hungry - you tend to buy unnecessary items
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Additional Income Some people may need help and support to live independently. Others, already living in their own home and suffering severe financial hardship, may be able to claim additional income and assistance, such as: • Universal Credit - The Government is combining a range of benefits for working age people into a single payment called Universal Credit • Tax Credits - Working Tax Credit for those working on a low income. Child Tax Credit for those who have at least one child in their care • Personal Independence Payment - For adults and children with a long term illness or disability • Carer’s Allowance - To help people (over 16) look after someone who is disabled, for at least 35 hours a week • Pension Credit - Guarantee Credit for those aged 63 or over on a low income • Discretionary Housing Payments - DHP’s are payments awarded by the Council from a cash limited fund where severe exceptional circumstances mean you need additional help with your housing costs For more information on these and other support that may be available call our Money Advisors on 0800 590 542.
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Useful Contacts A1 Housing Money Advisors
Seven Trent Water
Carlton Forest House Hundred Acre Lane Worksop S81 0TS
Customer Relations PO Box 5310 Coventry CV3 9FJ
t: 0800 590 542 www.a1housing.co.uk
t: 03457 500 500 www.stwater.co.uk
Bassetlaw District Council
Universal Credit Helpline
Queens Buildings Potter Street Worksop S80 2AH
t: 03456 000 723 www.gov.uk
t: 01909 533 533 www.bassetlaw.gov.uk
TV Licensing Darlington DL98 1TL
Anglian Water
t: 0300 790 6131 www.tvlicensing.co.uk
Customer Services PO Box 10642 Harlow CM20 9HA
Citizens Advice
t: 03457 91 91 55 www.anglianwater.co.uk
t: 0844 8563 411 www.citizensadvice.org.uk
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Contact us
0800 590 542
www.a1housing.co.uk customer.services@a1housing.co.uk
Text us on 07860 021 511
Visit us at:
Retford Property Shop Town Hall, 17B The Square, Retford DN22 6DB
Worksop Property Shop Queens Buildings, Potter Street, Worksop S80 2AH
Head Office - Carlton Forest House Hundred Acre Lane, Worksop S81 0TS
All offices are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
If you need any help communicating with us or understanding any of our documents, please contact us on 0800 590 542. We can arrange for a copy of this document in large print, audiotape, Braille or for a Language Line interpreter to help you.
Providing Quality Homes & Neighbourhoods GL29 - 04/15