Applicable amounts and Housing/Council Tax benefit

Hi.. Can anyone tell me if premiums are added to applicable amounts for council tax benefit for someone who is claiming Cont ESA. I have a client who has transfered from SSP to ESA. He lives with his wife who was previously in receipt of Incapacity Benefit. They have a joint income of £112.00 a week plus a small pension of £750. 00 a year. They are being asked to pay full council Tax benefit.  Daughter lives at home but is currently not working as she has to care for her parents.  DLA applied for but awaiting decision.

Depends on the rules of the Council’s local Council Tax Reduction scheme.  Most authorities have kept the applicable amounts in the national default scheme.  If the authority you are dealing with has done likewise, what happens is that a premium equal to the ESA main phase component is awarded when the component itself is awarded.  If the claimant is still in the ESA assessment phase, there is no premium.

The DLA application creates a “better buy” dilemma.  Depending on the rate/component of DLA awarded, and depending whether he gets the support or WRA component of ESA, it makes a difference which of them is the CTR claimant and which of them is the partner.  It shouldn’t make a difference - there is absolutely no coherent policy reason for it - but it does all the same.

I know you haven’t got a crystal ball but have you got a hunch as to what the future holds in terms of rates and components?