Refusing to pay bills

[dominant_tonic]

Hi there.

My mum is in the early stages of dementia, according to her, just a fees memory problems.

She manages all the money well, apart from council tax. She keeps cancelling the direct debits, because it irks her that they charge over ten months not 12, in order to keep the interest for the two months, when the interest should be hers (She was an accountant by trade).

We got up to date with all the payments, and set up a direct debit for the remainder...yes, she cancelled the direct debit forgetting that we had already gone through all this once.

Any ideas how best to approach this as according to her it's a slight memory problem, and in fairness she manages everything else well.

Thank you.

 

[karaokePete]

Hello and welcome to posting on the forum @dominant_tonic.

I haven't come across this before but in the hope that there may be something in it to help, here's a link to the AS Factsheet on finances http://alzheimerweb.prod.acquia-sit...actsheets/living-with-dementia-managing-money

 

[Kevinl]

Hi and welcome to TP
You could pay the whole lot in one go and hope she forgets about it if that's financially viable or you could just point out that 2 months interest on the average CT bill is peanuts anyway.
Some companies charge you more to pay monthly like car insurance so she's lucky that the council aren't actually charging her interest. it wasn't that long ago that many councils even offered the option of paying monthly, I remember I had to find the whole lot in 2 payments 6 months apart and pay a bit more, it's still the same with car road tax.
K

 

[dominant_tonic]

Hi and welcome to TP
You could pay the whole lot in one go and hope she forgets about it if that's financially viable or you could just point out that 2 months interest on the average CT bill is peanuts anyway.
Some companies charge you more to pay monthly like car insurance so she's lucky that the council aren't actually charging her interest. it wasn't that long ago that many councils even offered the option of paying monthly, I remember I had to find the whole lot in 2 payments 6 months apart and pay a bit more, it's still the same with car road tax.
K

Hi. Thanks for replying. I know this, but outs very logical, and once she gets a bee in her bonnet there's no reasoning.

Maybe paying it is the way forward, if they'll wait until next month.

Thanks for the welcome and the link karaokePete. I'll have a look now. The info will be valuable in the future if noir for this case. Thanks Both

 

[witts1973]

I'm sure it can be paid monthly with a debit card over the phone or at the post office or council office

 

[Kevinl]

I totally get the "bee in a bonnet" thing from first hand experience, my mum would never pay a gas, electric or phone bill all of which were quarterly until she got a red reminder, better she said "to keep the money and I get the interest" problem was the money was in a current account which didn't pay interest.
One concern would be if the bank picks up on her "strange" behaviour, then question her capacity and freeze the account which is what they're supposed to do if they think someone lacks capacity equally the LA could feel they are dealing with a "vulnerable adult" and refer it to social services.
According to the small print on the back of my CT statement if I default on one payment I'm immediately liable for the whole amount so she could be shooting herself in the foot by cancelling the DD.
K

 

[try again]

Can you not phone the council and explain? They may even talk about acdiscount.

 

[Kevinl]

Can you not phone the council and explain? They may even talk about acdiscount.

CT discount is a means tested benefit based on income and as such there's nothing to suggest that money is an issue, other than her giving it to the council. CT discount is only is only available to people on very low incomes.
Council Tax "Disregard" is a different thing to a "discount", the former needs a qualified person to say that there is a "Severe Mental Impairment" (SMI), a discount is a means tested benefit for people on low incomes, both may result in a reduction in CT but ask for the wrong one and you'll get the wrong answers from the LA, it's a disregard not a discount.
The disregard is for people with a Severe Mental Impairment (SMI) so as the OP says that Mum is "early stages" then that's a way short of an SMI.
An SMI disregard is a legal obligation the LA have to give, same as people under certain ages, in full time education and whatever else and a discount is a whole different thing, subtly difference but I've seen too many people on here advised to ask for the wrong thing, discount is a benefit, disregard is a legal right based on the SMI test.
Second thing is never contact the LA on the phone if you can avoid it, on the phone they can say anything they want, do it by e-mail or even n writing, paper trails scare the hell out of them, phone the call centre and they can tell you...whatever, there's no record, get it in writing or an e-mail .
K

 

[allchange]

Council's do allow payments in 12 monthly installments if somebody has trouble paying, see
https://www.gov.uk/council-tax/paying-your-bill

Many council's also offer this facility to all bill payers. Contact your local council's to ask/check their website.

This could satisfy your mother, though it may be that she won't remember anyway and will still cancel it.

 

[AliceA]

I pay over 12 months. It is not advertised but seems to be available.

 

[Oh Knickers]

Hi dominant_tonic,

This is the chaos that goes hand in hand with the various forms of dementia. What I did for our mother was a number of steps. Should your mother have a formal diagnosis you can then apply for AA (Attendance Allowance). Write down a list of all the things you need to do for your mother.
- I take care of my mother's finances otherwise she ends up not paying bills.
- As she is no longer competent to do her own shopping I do all her shopping otherwise she would not eat.
- I organise her meals otherwise, again, she would not eat.
- I make sure she washes as she forgets and tends to smell.
- I organise her prescribed tablets as she forgets to take them.

It can be a long list of small things - even forgetting her keys. It is just to demonstrate that your mother needs AA. Alzheimers Society can help you fill in the forms. You can put your postcode in this link and the number for your mother's localAlzheimer'ss Soc will come up. They have a lot of local information.
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/find-support-near-you

Once you have these two ducks in a row you can then apply for what is horrendously called 'Severe Mental Impairment' Council Tax disregard, (OOps don't know why it has gone pink). You need a diagnosis letter and a form you will find on the Council website which needs to be signed by your mother's GP or consultant. What is important is that the date of diagnosis is included. o got 18 months back payment.

Now, you may not be there yet in terms of the above. However, worth thinking about for the future. What you do have to be clear about is the order in which things are done - as described above. Please make sure you grab hold of the letter from the Council. Mother went ballistic when it arrived and didn't let go of that for 18 months. Wearisome.

Best of luck.

 

[Bod]

Hi there.

My mum is in the early stages of dementia, according to her, just a fees memory problems.

She manages all the money well, apart from council tax. She keeps cancelling the direct debits, because it irks her that they charge over ten months not 12, in order to keep the interest for the two months, when the interest should be hers (She was an accountant by trade).

We got up to date with all the payments, and set up a direct debit for the remainder...yes, she cancelled the direct debit forgetting that we had already gone through all this once.

Any ideas how best to approach this as according to her it's a slight memory problem, and in fairness she manages everything else well.

Thank you.

Do you have Lasting Power of Attorney?
If not then the sooner it's got the better. Go for both finance and health
.https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-of-the-public-guardian
Will give all the information needed. A solicitor is NOT needed for this, and can often be an expensive nuisance!.

Bod