The Queens Platinum Jubilee Weekend— I need your help. We have a wonderful weekend ahead of us where hopefully we can do what we do best and get together as a community and celebrate. I would love to have a celebration section of the June issue of North Weald Village Life. I would welcome any suggestions. I am considering things such as:1. Children’s competition—designing the front cover? 2. Photos of past jubilee celebrations in the local area. I would love to receive suggestions from you? I also been asked my many readers if I know what is happening to celebrate locally. I wonder if it would be best to have a committee of local interested people to see what can be organised. I would be happy to lead and co-ordinate this. If you have suggestions or comments, can you please let me have them by end of March initially and then we can work on them some more in time for the weekend. After the last few years, come on lets work together and get our community back to celebrating and have something good to think off.
Citizens Advice: Help with Council Tax It is about this time of year that council tax bills arrive. They will be showing an increase over last year, like all the other increases in the cost of living. administered by Epping Forest District Council but that Council spends only about 10% of the money raised. The rest goes in what are called “precepts” to other authorities. The biggest chunk by far is for Essex County Council, and its biggest areas of spend are education and adult social care. Next comes the Police, Crime and Fire Commissioner, then the District Council. They have all been hit by inflation and the County Council and the Police precepts are going up by between 4% and 5%. The parish council’s precept, which is the smallest, will go up by 3%.
monly, students. The discount will be 25% if there is only one adult counted as living in the property and 50% if everyone in the property is disregarded.
The first thing to consider is whether the house or flat might be exempt from council tax. This will typically be if it is unoccupied, because the resident is in hospital or a care home, or has gone to live elsewhere in order to be cared for, for instance by a daughter or son, or has died and the property is to be sold.
people who are struggling. You can apply to it online. Households on low incomes but not eligible for the £150 rebate may be able to get help from some extra funds that the government will be providing to councils.
There is a long list of exemptions and of disregarded occupants, some of them quite obscure.
If you are on a low income or benefits you may be entitled to local council tax support (sometimes called council tax reduction). If you are over pension age this can be a 100% reduction. If you are below pension age you will always have to pay at least All houses and flats are in one of eight bands for council tax. 25% of the tax, no matter how low your income is. If you get Houses and flats in the lowest bands – A to D – will get a one-off housing benefit the Council will calculate this but if you are on rebate of £150 to bring their bill down. Universal Credit you will have to apply for it. Here are some other ideas for cutting the bill. The District Council has an exceptional hardship fund to help
If a disabled person lives at the house or flat, and it needs to be bigger because of the person’s disability, the District Council can reduce your tax by putting the house or flat in the next council tax band down. Then it is worth considering whether you are entitled to a discount. Council tax is based on the assumption that there are at least two adults living in the property as their sole or main residence. If there are fewer than two adults a discount will apply. Some adults are treated as if they don't live there – most comPage 33
Tel: 07814 863955
You can always come to us at Citizens Advice if you want advice on how much council tax you should be paying or any other financial problems you may have. You can contact us on 0808 278 7855 between 9.30 and 2.30, Tuesday to Thursday. Calls are free. We are also in person at the Hub at the Civic Offices in Epping every Thursday between 9.30 and 2.30 if you want to talk to someone face-to-face. Source: Paul Stockton
Email: june@northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
www.northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
