If you or anyone you know are in arrears or concerned that perhaps your benefits, working tax credits, childcare credits etc are not being calculated properly, you might be right.

I have been assisting one local resident and their council rent arrears have been significantly reduced, perhaps even wiped out and we are talking hundreds of pounds here. A few important messages from this:

1. If you are struggling with bills or have arrears on council tax or rent, the most important thing is to keep in touch with the council and to seek assistance from them or from the Citizens Advice Bureau or another local advice service.

The government also have a great website www.moneyadvice.org.uk which has a huge amount of information which can help all of us with managing our finances.

2. Don’t always believe what the council says about your entitlements, or the government for that matter. Durham Council as with any organisation can make mistakes.

3. If you do believe the Council is being unreasonable or is making mistakes with any aspect of housing benefit, council tax or other issues –  and you haven’t been able to fix it by speaking to the council, call your councillors – Mamie, Amanda and I can usually help sort out most problems.