Home Work & Study
If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.

Poll tax with p/t work

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I've recently finished uni and started a part time job, i still live with my parents untill i can scrape together enough to move out. For the first 2 1/2 months i wasn't paid, last week i was given a checque for nearly £2000, with a months worth in advance to cover Christmas. Now my parents have been told that i have to pay them £100 a month for poll tax. Thats about a 6th of what i earn monthly (before tax). My fiance works full time, but earns around the same as i do. He doesn't have to pay poll tax as he's not earning enough. How is this right??!!

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    From what your describing it sounds like they might have lost some form of discount because you've started working? Only discount for student's for council tax would be if the whole house was unemployed or students. If your parents don't work and you've started working that could increase the council tax - but there's no poll tax - only council tax which is applied to properties not individuals.

    If your parents don't work that's the only way I can make sense of the situation - what's their situation?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    They are both retired, my mother is disabled.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ah, then it could be that as a student your household had no one earning - therefore you wouldn't qualify to pay - now you are then you've lost the discount - might be worth speaking to the council about possible discounts given the household - possibily as the only person earning you might be able to get a 25% discount.
  • **helen****helen** Deactivated Posts: 9,235 Supreme Poster
    Jim V wrote:
    possibily as the only person earning you might be able to get a 25% discount.

    :yes: you might find this helpful.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    some councils also have an extra discrectionary fund for those not eligable for council tax benefit or who need extra help, worth asking.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    satehen wrote:
    Now my parents have been told that i have to pay them £100 a month for poll tax.

    I'd check if I was you because that is my total bill for a month and I have a three bed semi. Jim's right in that you should still get a discount if you are the only earner in the house and as you are part-time you might not even have to pay all of it. Try the Benefits Department at the Council (this is not related to social security)...

    God I used to hate this job.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm now working for an agency, so my wage is not a set amount per week. Some weeks go by without getting any work. Because of the council tax i've decided to go back on job seekers. If i'm accepted back on, what will happen with the council tax? Will it be paid for me, in 3 months (or whenever) when they re-evaluate how much i earn, or will it be paid as soon as my claim goes through?

    I have absolutely no money and debts are running up. So far this month i've had 1 1/2 days work, with the promise of a day next week and my dad is getting on my back about giving him this weeks £25 towards the tax. the truth is i can barely afford the petrol to get to work, let alone pay off £25 p/w.
  • littlemissylittlemissy Posts: 9,972 Supreme Poster
    satehen wrote:
    I'm now working for an agency, so my wage is not a set amount per week. Some weeks go by without getting any work. Because of the council tax i've decided to go back on job seekers. If i'm accepted back on, what will happen with the council tax? Will it be paid for me, in 3 months (or whenever) when they re-evaluate how much i earn, or will it be paid as soon as my claim goes through?

    I have absolutely no money and debts are running up. So far this month i've had 1 1/2 days work, with the promise of a day next week and my dad is getting on my back about giving him this weeks £25 towards the tax. the truth is i can barely afford the petrol to get to work, let alone pay off £25 p/w.


    I'm confused. How can you go back on JSA if you are registered with an agency? Are you able to do that? I'd be surprised if you could, tbh.

    Have you just registered with one agency? Supply can suck. However, the more agencies you register with, the better. Also, it is just the start of term. Here in Sheffield, we are only just starting our second week. Supply is much busier this term than last - courses, illness (that time of year) and generally there is more work. However, you need to put yourself out there - write to schools, register with many agencies. If you do this, then I guarantee that you will get more work in, for example, 2 weeks time.

    That is how I got into supply. I am in a long term supply position at the moment, until Summer. One of my friends is in a similar situation as me too. The trick is to get yourself right out there. And phone agencies so they don't forget you.

    Speak to your dad about it and ask for a bit of leeway. If you do all the above then you could be raking it in in no time.

    Good luck.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    .
  • littlemissylittlemissy Posts: 9,972 Supreme Poster
    Yes you can. You can claim JSA to top up any wages if you are working less than 16 hours per week. Anything over 16 hours can be topped up with Income Support or Working Tax Credit.

    Ah, I didn't know that.

    Is that the case, even though a supply teacher can earn £100 a day (ie £100 for 8 hours work)? And how can they regulate it? For example, one week you can work 24 hours, the next 8 hours? Is it down to the recipient to be honest about it all?

    Sorry for sounding stupid about it - it's just something I am not clued up on :/
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You have to prove your wages to them. if you only earn £30 in a week, for instance, then the first £10 of that wage is not regarded for JSA purposes. The current JSA is £45 for a week, which means the JSA would top up £25 for the week.

    It's worth it in the odd case where work doesn't come in.
Sign In or Register to comment.