Hi all,
I had literally just gotten used to having to pay some money towards council tax even though I'm on a low and income and can barely afford. Well, imagine my shock upon receiving a huge multi-sheet letter from my local council saying that they have overpaid my council tax benefit to the tune of £750! And bizarrely, they go all the way back to 2008 with it even detailing single days that they overpaid me. I've been in the same job, working part time on the same low wage since before then. I've always lived alone in the same flat. I felt physically sick when I read the letter as obviously, I don't have that kind of money and as my circumstances haven't changed for many years, how could they have overpaid me? The letter said that the over-payment was recovered from the council tax account (until the past couple of months, my CT was covered by CT benefit as I'm on such a low income so I've only recently started paying). I read it multiple times but I still don't get it. They messed up and they want me to give them £750? What on earth? Has anyone else been in this situation? And if so, what did you do? Obviously, I'll be onto the council as soon as I wake up tomorrow as they didn't explain WHY the overpayment happened and what on earth they expect me to do. Or any advice? If they do expect me to pay that, I'll be contacting my local CAB obviously as there's no way I can pay it unless it's a nominal amount each week.
Lou
I had literally just gotten used to having to pay some money towards council tax even though I'm on a low and income and can barely afford. Well, imagine my shock upon receiving a huge multi-sheet letter from my local council saying that they have overpaid my council tax benefit to the tune of £750! And bizarrely, they go all the way back to 2008 with it even detailing single days that they overpaid me. I've been in the same job, working part time on the same low wage since before then. I've always lived alone in the same flat. I felt physically sick when I read the letter as obviously, I don't have that kind of money and as my circumstances haven't changed for many years, how could they have overpaid me? The letter said that the over-payment was recovered from the council tax account (until the past couple of months, my CT was covered by CT benefit as I'm on such a low income so I've only recently started paying). I read it multiple times but I still don't get it. They messed up and they want me to give them £750? What on earth? Has anyone else been in this situation? And if so, what did you do? Obviously, I'll be onto the council as soon as I wake up tomorrow as they didn't explain WHY the overpayment happened and what on earth they expect me to do. Or any advice? If they do expect me to pay that, I'll be contacting my local CAB obviously as there's no way I can pay it unless it's a nominal amount each week.
Lou
