Advice column (from Making News)
| Q I am working but only earn the minimum wage and with prices going up so fast I’m finding it really hard to make ends meet. I know there’s help for families but I’m single and don’t have any children. Can you help? A You may be able to claim working tax credit. You don’t need to have children to qualify. If you are 25 or over, work 30 hours or more a week and your earnings are low, you may be eligible. How much you will get depends on a complicated calculation, but it could mean at least £1,800 extra income a year. To get some idea of how much you might get, you can use the online calculator on HM Revenue and Custom’s website at hmrc.gov.uk. A CAB adviser can help you work out exactly how much you should get and advise you on making a claim. To apply for working tax credit, contact the tax credit helpline on 0845 300 3900 and ask for an application pack. You will need form TC600 for your first claim. The application pack is also available from HM Revenue and Customs centres, local benefit offices and Jobcentre Plus offices. The application form requires a lot of information, including your income for the previous tax year. If you have problems filling in the form you can consult a CAB adviser. If you get working tax credit, you may also be entitled to other financial help such as Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit or free prescriptions. A CAB adviser will be able to check you are getting all the money you are entitled to, and help with any debt problems you may have. |
Q My flatmates are refusing to pay their share of a debt, am I liable for their share as well as my own? A For a credit agreement, only the person whose name it is on it is liable, so if an agreement is in more than one name, all parties are liable for the entire amount of the debt as long as they have signed it. In this situation the creditor has the right to get full payment from any one or all of the people responsible. The situation is slightly different for utilities and household bills. For water bills, the occupier is liable, so if the person named on the bill does not pay, other adult occupiers could be pursued for payment. For Council Tax, certain properties and certain individuals are exempt, but generally where you have two adult healthy working individuals who have the same right to occupy the property, they will both be liable, even if the bill is only in one of their names. The liability for electricity and gas hasn’t really been tested in the courts yet so it is somewhat unclear whether the liability rests with whoever requested the supply (and whose name is on the bill) or those who can be described as ‘beneficial users’ and have benefited from the fuel. All requests for payment should be checked to make sure they have been sent to the right person. If there are any doubts, the creditor should be asked to produce details of the goods or services provided or, of appropriate, a copy of the credit agreement. If you are still having problems a CAB adviser will be able to help. |
| Q My elderly mother is very frail and can’t walk very far at all. She doesn’t drive herself, but I usually take her to hospital appointments and family visits and so on. Would I be able to get a blue badge on her behalf? A The Blue Badge scheme allows disabled people to park in restricted areas, for example to park free of charge and without time limit at on-street parking meters. Your mother will automatically qualify for a blue badge if she receives the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance or war pensioners’ mobility supplement, or if she is registered blind. She may also qualify if she has a permanent and substantial disability which means she is unable to walk, or can walk only with considerable difficulty. To apply for a blue badge in England and Wales, you need to contact your local authority social services department. There is a small fee. If you are driving with your mother as a passenger you will be able to use her blue badge to pick her up, drop her off, and ensure you can park close to where she needs to be. But it is a criminal offence to misuse a blue badge, and it can lead to a £1,000 fine, so she should never let anyone else borrow the badge for their own use. The Blue Badge Helpline can give you more information about using the scheme. The Helpline number is 020 7944 2914 or 0161 367 0009. You can also find more information on the Department for Transport website at: www.mobilityunit.dft.gov.uk Feb. 2008 |
Q I’ve just got my new Council Tax bill for next year and can’t see how I’m going to pay for it. I’m quite a careful budgeter, but with the cost of living going up faster than my earnings something’s got to give and I don’t want to end up in debt Any suggestions? A You don’t say how much you earn, but if you are on a low income and don’t have much in savings you could be entitled to Council Tax Benefit. This is a benefit to help towards council tax, paid by your local council. If you qualify, it means that your bill will be reduced. Thousands of people who should be getting Council Tax Benefit are missing out, just because they don’t know about it or how to claim. First check you are getting any discounts you may be entitled to — for example if you live alone you automatically qualify for a 25 per cent reduction in your bill. If you are eligible for Council Tax Benefit the amount you get will depend on how much money you have coming in. In some cases it will mean you do not have to pay any council tax at all. You should make a claim direct to your local council’s Council Tax Benefit office, using the form they provide. Or if you prefer, you may be able to make your claim by phone or online. Ask for the claim to be dated from the day you asked for the form. If you are over 60 and you think you would have qualified for Council Tax Benefit before you made your claim, you may be able to get payment backdated for up to a year. Your local Citizens Advice Bureau will be able to check to make sure you are getting all the help you are entitled to and help you make a claim. For more information go to the Citizens Advice website www.adviceguide.org.uk or look under ‘C’ in your local phone book. Feb. 2008 |
| Q When I took out my mortgage two years ago I could manage the payments without any trouble, but now the discount period has come to an end and the payments have shot up I’m really struggling. I may also be in danger of losing my job. Do you have any advice? A Don’t panic but do sit down and take a long, hard look at your finances. Do a budget (looking at all your incomings and outgoings, any savings and any debts) and try to plan ahead, looking at whether you can increase your income and/or cut back on any of your spending. For more information have a look at the Citizens Advice website www.adviceguide.org.uk Do prioritise your mortgage payments but don’t be tempted to take on more credit or debt to deal with payment problems. Check whether you have mortgage payment protection insurance (MPPI) and if so make sure your policy covers your circumstances, if you are thinking of taking out MPPI be careful - it can be costly and poor quality and won’t always give you the protection you need. Make sure you shop around and get independent financial advice. If you have already fallen behind with payments, or you do lose your job, let your lender know straight away. They should try and help you through temporary payment difficulties, for example by allowing you to pay interest only for a limited period. For more detailed information see our fact sheet on dealing with mortgage arrears on the Citizens Advice website www.adviceguide.org.uk , or talk to a CAB adviser.) Get free, confidential, independent advice from the CAB without delay if you are in arrears and facing court action by your lender. Feb. 2008 |
Q My father died recently and we are having great trouble locating his will. We know he made one, but the solicitor he dealt with originally, and where the will was left for safekeeping, has gone out of business. Is there any way of tracing its whereabouts? A Start by checking to see if your father kept a copy of his will, and contact the Law Society to try and trace what happened to documents deposited with your father’s original solicitor. You could also check if your father’s will has been placed at the Principal Registry of the Family Division of the High Court, a District Registry or Probate Sub-Registry for safe keeping. You can write to The York Probate Sub- Registry, 1st Floor, Castle Chambers. Clifford Street York YOl 9RG (Tel: 01904 666777) to request a copy of a will by post. You will need to provide your father’s full name, date of death and last known address and pay a fee of £5. You can also make a personal search tree of charge by going to the Principal Registry of the Family Division, First Avenue House, 42-49 High Holborn, London WC1V 6NP (Tel: 020 7947 6000). If you want to inspect or take a copy of the will, there is a fee of £5. For more information about making a will or what to do when someone dies, go to the Citizens Advice website www.adviceguide.org.uk, or your local CAB will be able to help. Feb. 2008 |