Dover District Council fleecing the self employed
- 19 October 2020 10:20365717Saw this online:
STOP THE FLEECING OF SELF EMPLOYED PEOPLE BY DDC
If you're self-employed you may have suffered an extremely unpleasant shock when you received your Council Tax bill.
Dover District Council has decided that any self-employed person trading for 12 months + should be earning the equivalent of the National Minimum Wage 35 hours per week profit - around 16K p.a. - and is treated as such REGARDLESS of their actual income. That's right, even if you've made only a small profit or even made a loss, they may still expect you to pay FULL Council Tax. For most people that will be £1500,2000 or more.
They are not even taking into account in my case - and maybe yours too - the fact that Tax Credits would go down if your earnings go up to 16K or more.
I have appeared this and they simply sent out a form letter and told me to go to a tribunal.
Others are probably in the same position and may not have spotted this trick.
There are onion layer levels of unfairness here.
If you agree, or are in the same position, or know someone who is, share the hell out of this post and better still email the Chief Executive, Nadeem Aziz, nadeem.aziz@dover.gov.uk and stop them pulling a fast one and bashing the self-employed. They think they're an easy target for these dubious tactics. Not aby more, if we stand together. - 19 October 2020 10:30365718If the person posting was prepared to attend a tribunal hearing in the full knowledge that he/she could prove the precise amount of their actual income (assuming it is below the minimum wage) then I would hope that DDC would apply the relevant discount. That would probably be a more effective approach than using social media.
That said, failure to disclose property as a means of avoiding council tax is fraud. In Cumming's case, it seems that his council regard that as permissible.
Jan Higgins likes this - Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
19 October 2020 11:31365723I also saw that FB post, this was my reply.
"If a self employed person's actual income after the various taxes is at the same level as those who receive help then so should they, if not there is no reason not to pay in full the same as everyone else."
Having been self employed in the past a good accountant is worth their weight in gold.-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
------------------------------------------------------------------- - 19 October 2020 13:11365725Maybe the person is going to a tribunal but is using social media to raise public awareness and help others? Nothing wrong whatsoever with that.
It's not just the principle of inequality with employed persons that seems wrong, but also the failure to take into account that when self employed income rises other means-tested benefits can fall. That then can affect CTB entitlement. This is either a calamitous blunder by DDC (which is entirely possible) or a cynical attempt to pull a fast one. Either way, I question the legality.
Lots of sound and fury on social media, not all of it well informed or signifying anything. All you need there is a smartphone and an opinion, whether informed or not. - Reginald Barrington
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 17 Dec 2014
- Posts: 3,261
19 October 2020 15:18365728Thanks for posting Andrew, I think I'm safe as partner gets some additional benefits but I shall be checking.
We had an issue a few years back with a disability pension being counted as income. After they finally agreed they were wrong, (i actual ended up providing them the minutes of the meeting in which it was decided)it still took another 4 or 5 letters for them to change it and that was only when we had explained it to the receptionist who could see the mistake and took it in person into finance and made them change it.
The level of incompetance beggars belief.Guest 3130 likes thisArte et Marte - Andy B
- Location: dover
- Registered: 10 Nov 2012
- Posts: 1,829
19 October 2020 16:43365730I,m self employed and a few years ago work went very quite and after enquiring i was told by DDC that they would reduce my council tax bill which was a great help at the time.Just before the next years bill was due they suddenly decided that i shouldnt have been entitled to a reduction and i had to pay the full amount owing.When the new council tax bill came it showed i was entitled to a reduction again so i went straight down town to there offices and asked if they could look at my bill again as it was too low and i wanted pay the full amount.The lady asked me if i was sure if i wished to dispute the amount to be paid and looked at me as if i was mad.I explained that i rather pay the full amount rather than be asked for it later. - Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,397
19 October 2020 17:19365731No idea of the rights or wrong of this but get in touch with your local councillor initially. They SHOULD be able to sort this out at the appropriate level.
It's certainly what I used to do.
Just saying."The world is still a weird place, despite my efforts to make clear and perfect sense of it".
Dr. Hunter S Thompson