Council Tax - What is Council Tax, Bands and Exemptions Family & Income

Council Tax - What is Council Tax, Bands and Exemptions

Council tax is a system of local taxation in Great Britain and is used to part fund local services such as police and schools. It was introduced in 1991 and is based on the value of residential property. Council tax bands Council tax is based on the value of a property in 1991 when council tax was first introduced. This means that you’re not looking at the value of your property at the moment to establish what band you are is - which can be very confusing. It is particularly confusing for properties that have been built since 1991. In this case a nominal ‘1991 value’ is given to the property to assess which council tax band...
Housing Benefit - Eligibility and Restrictions Family & Income

Housing Benefit - Eligibility and Restrictions

If you are unemployed or on a low income you could be eligible to claim Housing Benefit from the government to help partially or fully pay for your rent. Eligibility for Housing Benefit If your income and capital (any savings or investments) are below a certain threshold you may qualify, whether you are out of work or in work with a lower income. Here is a link to check your eligibility for Housing Benefit Restrictions of Housing Benefit If you have savings of over £16,000 you will not be able to claim Housing Benefit, unless you are getting the ‘guarantee credit’ of Pension Credit You will not be able to claim if live...
Tax Credits Family & Income

Tax Credits

There are two types or tax credits, working tax credit and child tax credit. Working tax credit is a benefit paid to you based on the number of hours you work and get paid for. It was introduced to encourage people to work even if they are in low paid jobs. Child tax credits are paid to you if you are responsible for at least one young person and that young person is living with you. Being employed is not essential in order to claim child tax credits. Tax credits are not taxable, they are paid as a form of benefit, many people are eligible for both types of tax credits. According to the government 90% of UK families are eligible for...
Repaying Your Student Loans Family & Income

Repaying Your Student Loans

Soaring tuition fees and high living costs are seeing students take out huge loans nowadays as they look to afford their university education, and it’s important to understand how these student loans are repaid. The information in this guide is only applicable to students who started university on or after 01 September 1998. You will start to repay your loans in the first April after finishing your studies, as long as you are employed and earning above a certain amount. How your loan is repaid depends on whether you are employed or self-employed, while there are also two different repayment plans which are dependent on when you...
Student Loan Calculator Family & Income

Student Loan Calculator

Use the student loan calculator to calculate how long it'll take to pay off your university tuition fees and how much will be taken from your wage a month based on your total income and student loan amount. Click here to check your student loan
Student Loan Entitlements - Fee Loans and Grants Family & Income

Student Loan Entitlements - Fee Loans and Grants

There are several tuition fee and maintenance loans available for UK born students studying for their first degree. The information below assumes that you are applying for funding for your first degree and you are a UK citizen. Tuition Fee Loan Despite the recent raises in university tuition fees you will never have to pay a penny of this upfront if you are a UK citizen. Everyone is eligible for a loan to cover the tuition fee that you are charged each year. This money is paid directly to your university or college so you won’t see the money yourself. The maximum tuition fee for courses is currently up to £9,250 per...
Student Loans - What is a Student Loan? Family & Income

Student Loans - What is a Student Loan?

Student loans are designed to help students pay for university and college tuition fees, as well as their books, rent and other living expenses. The amount of money you can borrow depends on whether you are studying full-time or part-time, and on your living circumstances. There are two types of loans: A tuition fee loan for full-time and part-time students A maintenance loan for full-time students only Unlike other types of loans, the repayments of student loans are deferred until the student is employed and earning above a certain amount. Additionally, the interest rate is charged at a lower rate. Once you are earning...
University Tuition Fees List Family & Income

University Tuition Fees List

University Tuition Fees List The cost of tuition often varies between institutions, so it’s hard to say how much a course will cost in general. All figures below were provided by the institutions, who were asked for a typical fee. Some of these provided a range for their costs, which will be represented in the tables, while some did not provide figures. These figures are the latest available (2016/17), but are subject to change, with many set to rise in the near future. England and Wales table { font-family: arial, sans-serif; border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; } td, th { border: 1px solid #dddddd; ...
Introduction of Higher University Fees in 2012-2013 Family & Income

Introduction of Higher University Fees in 2012-2013

With the introduction of new higher fees from 2012, the first thing to note is that students who started their course before 2012 will not have to pay the new higher fees. These students will carry on paying the lower fees based on the old system. New tuition fees From September 2012 universities and colleges in the UK public sector can charge new full time students up to £9,000 a year and new part-time students up to £6,750 a year. This does not mean that every university will charge the full fees but they have are allowed to charge up to this amount. How much will each university charge? Click here for a list of fees that...
Budget Planner: How To Budget Family & Income

Budget Planner: How To Budget

Many people at some stage of their life consider making a budget to help them calculate their income and expenditure. However, it is important to be realistic and comprehensive in order to gain any usable information from the process. Leaving out items such as travel and basic living costs such as food, clothes and nights out can all make for a budget that is unrealistic and misrepresentative. When making a budget, start by listing your income. Look at your basic pay, benefits and investments, then go on to list your outgoings, including bills, credit agreements, and all predictable and repeatable purchases.  Be meticulous....
Increasing Your Income Family & Income

Increasing Your Income

If you find that you are struggling to make ends meet with your current earnings, there are various methods available to increase your income, many of which most people are either unaware of or think they are not entitled to. These include the following: Obtaining a second income from online related work, self-employment or an evening job Making sure you’re not paying too much tax and national insurance by checking your tax codes www.hmrc.gov.uk Claiming any benefits you may be eligible for, including Working and Child Tax Credits Ensuring people with whom you live are contributing towards the bills and general living...
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