PETERBOROUGH LABOUR PARTY

Benefit boost from Monday

From Monday 2 November  hundreds of families in Peterborough will be able to get help towards rent and council tax. This is good news for parents and is part of a major government move to bring 500,000 children out of poverty.  This shake up of benefit rules has been welcomed by child poverty campaigners and local politician Ed Murphy.

From Monday income from child benefit will be disregarded as income when calculating entitlement to housing and council tax benefits. Ed Murphy today welcomed the shake up in benefit rules.

 
 
"In Peterborough we have low wages compared to other parts of the region and this will mean a large number of families with children will benefit. This is also a further incentive to encourage people with children to go to work especially those seeking part time work who will now be entitled to more help with rent and council tax. Peterborough still has too many families dependant on welfare benefits and as the economy picks up with more jobs on offer these benefit changes will encourage more to take up work”

“I would urge all parents on low incomes to contact the council to see if they are entitled to help with rent or council tax. Low earners who own their home may also be able to get help with council tax”

Do I qualify?

Families already receiving council tax and housing benefit should be contacted by the council and will automatically have their entitlement increased.

Anyone who thinks they may now qualify or has been turned down in the past should get in touch with their council to find out if they can get this help for Peterborough tel 747474.

How much to expect

Parent (s) with;

One child – could get up to £13 per week or £17 for a two parent family.

Council tax benefit of £208 per year.

Two children – could get up to £21.58 per week or £28 for a two parent family

Council tax benefit £345 per year.

Three children – could get up to £30.16 per week or £39 for a two parent family

Home owners could get up to £483 per year.