Council Tax Rebate - important

[fizzie]

I am always banging on about this - I know that lots of the people I knew through forums and local groups weren't claiming and I've sorted out the local groups lol but this appeared in Money Saving Expert today so I'm just sharing it with everyone because I suspect there are lots of you who are missing out. It is not difficult - basically if you are living with a person with diagnosed dementia or if they are living alone they are entitled to a rebate of council tax which can be backdated to the date of diagnosis. You phone the council ask for a council tax waiver form and then when you fill it in you do so under 'severe mental impairment' which sounds a bit harsh but isn't - and then make sure the doctor puts in the date of diagnosis (in our case I filled it all in for the doctor, wrote a covering note and asked for a signature)

COUNCIL TAX REBATE

Someone who has been medically certified as suffering from a permanent condition that affects their intelligence and social functioning (eg, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's) is 'disregarded for council tax purposes' in England, Scotland and Wales – in a similar way that students are, for example.

Normally if there's only one person living in a home, you get a 25% council tax discount. But if you live with someone with a severe mental impairment and no other adults – or only adults who are disregarded for council tax purposes – you can also claim 25% off. You can reclaim retrospectively too.

Anyone with a severe mental impairment who's living alone shouldn't be paying any council tax at all.


So if you or a friend or relative has dementia or parkinson's do phone the LA and ask for a form for a council tax reduction for someone with severe mental impairment and this can be backdated to the date of diagnosis

and here is the link to the article http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/ne...u-may-be-able-to-reclaim-1000s-in-council-tax

 

[tss502]

Is this means tested? I asked the Council for a waiver form and they sent me a massive form with lots of questions about our income and savings - can I just ignore all of that?

 

[nitram]

"Is this means tested?"

You got the wrong form.
You want to apply for an SMI disregard, not any form of discount.

 

[Loopiloo]

Thanks for this Izzy, I have taken a copy concerning my own situation as I still do not know what it is - financially. Delays, delays… but it should have been changed now that I receive a pension from Henry’s occupational pension fund. I intend getting on to DWP yet again to try and get it sorted out. ​

We missed out on exemption from Council Tax as knew nothing about it. But I was advised to claim retrospectively and I did that.

Unfortunately Henry had dementia several years before I could eventually get him to the doctor and referred to the Memory Clinic. So we still missed out on those earlier years. Also although we did receive a refund it was short of the actual date of diagnosis by almost 2 years.

I don’t recall it being particularly difficult to claim retrospectively, all straightforward.

Loo

 

[fizzie]

Is this means tested? I asked the Council for a waiver form and they sent me a massive form with lots of questions about our income and savings - can I just ignore all of that?

No not means tested, based on diagnosis of dementia - tell them that you want the straightforward waiver form for Severe Mental Impairment

 

[Peirre]

When both myself and my brother where living with my father there was no discount available due to the number of adults living in the property and registered on the electoral register at the property despite his confirmed diagnosis. However once I moved out leaving 2 adults in the house I was able to apply for my fathers exemption, and the single persons reduction from the remaining adult (my brother) living at the property. But it took a little time to get it, until my name was removed from the electoral register at my fathers house and transferred to my own home.
iirc the council tax rebate can be backdated to the date of the official diagnosis, so it's a good idea to get a copy of a (dated) letter from either the clinician or the MC who gave the diagnosis. This is probably the same letter you use to apply for attendance allowance

 

[Dearie Me]

Lack of understanding

Our experience of this process was mixed. When I took the form to be signed by the GP, he declined to sign it, saying that he didn't feel Mum was sufficiently mentally impaired at that time. We went back around 18 months later when her condition had deteriorated and he signed happily. (He was generally very helpful and supportive)
However when I submitted the form to the council they backdated the exemption to the date of diagnosis anyway, rather than the date the form was signed!
Clearly there is no consistent understanding and application of the rules.

 

[sleepless]

I do not think that a diagnosis of Alzheimers' in the early stages necessarily means the person is suffering from 'severe mental impairment'.

I personally did not feel we were entitled while my husband was still driving us both everywhere. I would hardly have got into the car with him had I thought he was suffering from 'severe mental impairment'! And certainly wouldn't have let him drive anywhere on his own.
He was able to do this for several years post-diagnosis, and also operated garden machinery.
Only when I felt that his Alzheimer's was advanced enough to merit it did I apply for Council Tax reduction.

 

[Kevinl]

if you go t the link below and put in the postcode it will take you to the LA's site where you can apply on line (usually). It's a 10 minute job ((in Salford).
They e-mailed me back and I took a picture (on my phone) of the diagnosis letter and her DLA award and e0mailed it back to them. Cheque in the post a week or 2 later.
I believe they asked for permission to contact the GP, I've no idea whether they did or not, I didn't have to get the GP to sign anything.
K

https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-council-tax-discount

 

[fizzie]

if you go t the link below and put in the postcode it will take you to the LA's site where you can apply on line (usually). It's a 10 minute job ((in Salford).
They e-mailed me back and I took a picture (on my phone) of the diagnosis letter and her DLA award and e0mailed it back to them. Cheque in the post a week or 2 later.
I believe they asked for permission to contact the GP, I've no idea whether they did or not, I didn't have to get the GP to sign anything.
K

https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-council-tax-discount

Great link thanks Kevin

 

[InnerGeek]

It's definitely not means tested - not in England, anyway. I finally managed to get the GP to sign the form last weekend so the application is still fresh in my mind.

Just got to sort out the Welsh council on his old house now - they're trying to invent their own definition of Class I council tax exemption!

 

[Kevinl]

My council told me outright we were not eligible for this because it is means tested. I was very clear about OH's eoAD. Clearly I need to go back to them again.............. seems no end to the paperwork involved.

Ask them to read section 6 paragraph 4 of the Local Government Act 1992 (below).
He is disregarded and it is not means tested. He was eligible from his diagnosis or when he first received certain benefits see the link to the AZ factsheet.
Just go online on the link I posted here earlier and apply, I got over £1k rebate, not bad for 10 minutes work
K

(4) Subsection (3) above shall not apply as respects any day on which one or more of the persons there mentioned fall to be disregarded for the purposes of discount by virtue of [F2paragraph 2 (severely mentally impaired) or 4 (students etc.) of Schedule 1 to this Act] and one or more of them do not; and liability to pay the council tax in respect of the dwelling and that day shall be determined as follows...

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1992/14/section/6

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=137

 

[Kjn]

Does anyone know ..

Dad had discount from council tax due to dementia which as he is in hospital I've had to inform them (next step is care home) , when can I trigger single person discount for mum alone at home? When he is in care home, before?

 

[Kevinl]

Does anyone know ..

Dad had discount from council tax due to dementia which as he is in hospital I've had to inform them (next step is care home) , when can I trigger single person discount for mum alone at home? When he is in care home, before?

As my post above, diagnosis day or the awarding of certain benefits, backdated to that date. Then the discount stays the same at 25% reduction but changes from a disregard to a standard single person discount.
K

 

[fizzie]

My council told me outright we were not eligible for this because it is means tested. I was very clear about OH's eoAD. Clearly I need to go back to them again.............. seems no end to the paperwork involved.

They might have thought you were talking about council tax rebate - you have to be clear that you want to claim for Severe Mental Impairment

 

[Kjn]

As my post above, diagnosis day or the awarding of certain benefits, backdated to that date. Then the discount stays the same at 25% reduction but changes from a disregard to a standard single person discount.
K

They said I'd need another form for mum so can I do that now while dads in hospital or do I have to wait H til discharge to care home (which God knows when that'l be with so few places available )

 

[Ihtl]

I'm a little confused as to how this works when there are several people living with the PWD. My dad lives with myself and two siblings, one of us is a registered carer (receives carer's allowance, however, this link lists a set of criteria of carers who would be disregarded for council tax purposes. We all meet this criteria, would we be eligible for a reduction in council tax?

 

[nitram]

Dad with SMI - no reduction, still 3 occupants not disregarded
Dad with SMI, one carer - no reduction, still two occupants not disregarded.
Dad with SMI, two carers - 25% off, only one occupant not disregarded.
Dad with SMI, three carers - 50% off, all occupants disregarded.

Somebody may query all three of you caring for 35 Hr/Wk especially if any of you work.

 

[Ihtl]

Dad with SMI - no reduction, still 3 occupants not disregarded
Dad with SMI, one carer - no reduction, still two occupants not disregarded.
Dad with SMI, two carers - 25% off, only one occupant not disregarded.
Dad with SMI, three carers - 50% off, all occupants disregarded.

Somebody may query all three of you caring for 35 Hr/Wk especially if any of you work.

Thank you for your reply.

It wouldn't have been the case earlier in the year, but since my dad hasn't been allowed back to the day centre I'd say at least two of us do at least 35hr/wk.

 

[nitram]

Don't forget that taking turns to have a monitor near you at night in case he starts wandering could be regarded as caring if he would be at danger if he wandered too far eg top of stairs.