http://www.rossendale.gov.uk/site/scripts/news_article.php?newsID=676

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Changes to Rules - Child Benefit Disregard

Published Thursday 22nd October 09

Did you know that, from 2 November 2009, Child Benefit will no longer be counted as part of your income for Housing and Council Tax Benefit?

And that if you do not receive either Housing or Council Tax Benefit, you may now be able to claim?

To find out your entitlement please click on the Benefits Calculator.

If you already claim Housing and Council Tax Benefit, we will recalculate your entitlement for you.

Find Out More

You can find out more about this entitlement by visiting the One Stop Shop in Rawtenstall or by telephoning us on: 0845 900 0500 Please note that local call rates should apply to this number, although calls from mobiles may be charged at a higher rate.

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Rossendale is not the only clueless council (in addition to 0845 numbers)  Here in the South East I have personal experience of incompetence on the housing front.  If you click on the benefits calculator on the Rossendale site, one is transported to Swindon - is the calculation too complicated for our northern cousins?

Look at Rossendale's telephone contact numbers and you will see a mixture of geographic and non geographic numbers including one or two 0800 numbers.  They could learn another lesson from Swindon who only show geographic numbers.

It's annoying to find this incompetence knowing that these employees enjoy pension benefits too expensive for the private sector.