Family's council tax confusion (From Stroud News and Journal)

Family's council tax confusion

A FAMILY from Stroud are in a state of confusion after receiving five different council tax demands from Stroud District Council.

Lorry driver Andy Dyer, 36, and his wife Yvonne, from Arundell Mill in Stroud, received their first bill from the council for £14.58 on March 13.

The Dyers were surprised by the small demand but were later shocked when four other bills came through their letterbox, each demanding a different amount. The final bill was a much larger £1,074.19.

"We were surprised to get the first bill for only £14.58 as we would normally pay around £400 a year," Mr Dyer told the SNJ.

But less than a month later the Dyers, who have six children aged from three months to 15 years, received a second bill for £428.07.

"We wondered what was going on," said Mr Dyer.

And it was then the rollercoaster bills gathered pace.

Two days later the third bill dropped through the Dyers1 letter box. This time the amount was for £290.53. Another day later the Dyers were none the wiser as another bill arrived for £305.95.

As the family tried to make sense of the bills, more was still to come. Four days later the a fifth demand arrived for £1074.19. "I don't know where we stand or what we have to pay," said Mr Dyer.

" We are totally confused. The goal-posts are moving all the time. Sometimes the bill goes up sometimes it goes down.

"It has gone from £14.58 to £1074.19 in the space of a month. How do we know what is right?"

SDC spokesman David Marshall said on Tuesday that new bills had to be issued every time there was a change in benefit and the recent confusion had been caused by the problems with Family Tax Credit changes. He added that the council would be happy to explain the matter to Mr Dyer or anyone in a similar position.