Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#1
COUNCIL TAX CHANGES -
HAVE YOUR SAY
Local people are being reminded to take part in a consultation on major changes to Council Tax and Council Tax Benefit. The consultation started in July and ends on Monday 17 September 2012.
The Government has announced that from 1 April 2013 it will be abolishing Council Tax benefit in its current form. Instead, all Councils will need to create and run a local Council Tax support scheme. The Government has also announced that from April 2013 Councils can change discounts and exemptions given for Council Tax. These changes mainly affect empty properties and 'second homes'.
Dover District Council has been consulting on a proposed local Council Tax support scheme since July. This scheme aims to reduce the impact on benefit customers by removing some Council Tax discounts and exemptions.
The main proposals are to:
· Reduce working age Council Tax benefit awards by between 5% and 6%
· Remove the Council Tax discount for 'second home' owners (currently 10%)
· Remove the Council Tax exemption for empty and unfurnished properties (currently 100%)
· Discontinue second adult rebate for working age claimants.
The Government has stated that there can be no change to Council Tax benefit for pensioners, so the reduction in benefit will only affect working age claimants.
There will also be no change to the Council Tax exemption for properties undergoing major structural repair, and Council Tax discounts for living on your own (single person discount) are unaffected by the changes.
For more details, please see
http://www.dover.gov.uk/counciltaxchangeshoward mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#2
will be interesting to see how many empty and unfurnished properties suddenly get worked on to bring back into use.
this could be of great benefit to the district in particular dover.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#3
You havent got long left to have your say but you can do by visiting the DDC website there in link above.

Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#4
dopne my bit paulb(theres a surprize lol)
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#5
i doubt if any submissions will alter what has been decided already.
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#6
but you dont know unless you try howard
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Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#7
forgone conclution kieth,
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#8
a forum of defeatists?
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#9
cuts have to be made, each council has its own priorities, the die is cast.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#10
not defeatist kieth,but being realistic.
Guest 1103- Registered: 3 Nov 2013
- Posts: 759
#11
These Counciltax changes have not been made public enough in my opinion!! I understand that changes needed to be made. But some are taken to the very extreme, Which I have experienced when I moved in the Summer. I suddenly had to pay council tax twice. Yes.. twice.
I felt like robbed in daylight. Its an Experience Which I dont want to have again. Its very unnerving and upsetting too.
Anyone else having similar experiences? Out of curiousity of course???

Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud. Maya Angelou ☺🌈🌄🌌🌏🌍🌎
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#12
Can't imagine why you would have to had to pay the same tax twice Heike. Are you referring to normal Council tax, which has a breakdown showing what the Town, District, County, Police Fire and Rescue, take is ?
I don't know where you live, but if it is in the Maxton Elmsvale andf Priory Ward, I am one of your District Councillors, so will be happy to help resolve this for you.
Roger
Guest 744- Registered: 20 Mar 2012
- Posts: 412
#13
Since April this year you have to continue to pay the tax when you move out of a property and are waiting for it to be sold even though you are using no council services and there isn't a stick of furniture in the place. A nice little earner.
Guest 745- Registered: 27 Mar 2012
- Posts: 3,370
#14
But if the property was on fire you'd expect the fire men to come, I take it
If it got broken in to by some scally nicking your copper pipes you'd expect the police to turn up
Just because a property is empty doesn't mean its not using services.
What we pay for these services and contracts should be under review,
But pay for them we must.
Guest 744- Registered: 20 Mar 2012
- Posts: 412
#15
My, my we do have a chin on don't we?
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
#16
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 1103- Registered: 3 Nov 2013
- Posts: 759
#17
I dont mind paying for Counciltax, as its always been done and I dont know any difference.
But when it comes to moving places, Which I have not done in a very long time until recently,Then you are faced paying counciltax twice for at least 6 to 8 weeks. Simply for the new contract from the date you sign, If rented or bought it makes no difference and for the property, Which going back to the Owner/ Landlord.
If there is a Fluency in paperwork etc, than I believe it should not be paid twice.
Not beeing funny, there are people outhere not been very honest and know how to trick the system and this is speaking in general terms.
I have put this behind me as experience, but thought I point it out. As many will have this facing if they stay in the district/ area.
Roger thank you for the Offer, I am past that Stage now. All in All it should be made more puplic.
Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud. Maya Angelou ☺🌈🌄🌌🌏🌍🌎
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#18
something doesn't seem right here, there are one or two dodgy landlords about not that i am saying this is the case here but i know of some unscrupulous ones that tell tenants water charges are included. the unfortunate tenants then find out at a later date that the responsibility for payment lies with those who used the water.
Guest 756- Registered: 6 Jun 2012
- Posts: 727
#19
I'm obviously missing something here, if you are paying tax on your old and new property and the person you have brought from is also paying for their old and new property it would mean that two lots of revenue are being collected on one home?
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#20
yes something not quite right
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