COUNCIL TAX DISREGARD - I don't believe it.!

germain

Registered User
Jul 7, 2007
342
0
Hello everyone,

Just an update on how this is going - following Margaret W's initial post re this.

Well, I downloaded the forms - filled them in and sent them off- along with a letter explaining the circumstances and why I was applying on Mums behalf - & copied everything to the GP so he would be expecting the letter

AND THEY WROTE BACK DIRECT TO MY MUM "I understand that you wish to be considered for a discount on the grounds that someone in your household is severely mentally impaired" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is this totally insensitive or just plain carelessness ? Thank God she doesn't realise what post is anymore.

Imagine someone still capable of reading or with some paranoia getting a letter like this - it could cause severe problems.

They've also sent another form to fill in which just requests exactly the same details as the original - (which benefit etc)

I'm going to plough thro' the process but don't hold out much hope !


Do I phone and blast them - or just treat it as yet another example of total disregard for any sensitivities around AD ?

Regards to all.
 

lizzie2596

Registered User
Jul 3, 2007
91
0
I would definitely give them a ring, not to have a go at them but to be able to explain the circumstances more fully than you can on an impersonal form. With things as they are it can't make things any worse and could make things much easier once they have the big picture. Ask them exactly what information they need and how the whole process will work so that you can be prepared for any more forms/letters.
If its not too much trouble for you it might even be worth making a face to face appointment to get it all sorted in one go but you will definitely need to know in advance what to take with you.

Good luck

Liz x
 

Nebiroth

Registered User
Aug 20, 2006
3,510
0
Thanks for highlighting this. I was considering looking into this - although we are a household of three, I was considering applying because Dad would be disregarded (with dementia) and I could be (as a resident carer). This would at least get us down to having one taxable occupant, with some discount, although not as good as having zero tax.

However I've held off because the council tax has always been in dad's name and I was worried that any correpondence in regard to it would be addressed to him, no matter who made the applications etc.


This appears to confirm my fears.

I suspect that this is what has happened in the case above, too - anything regarding council tax is addressed to whoever pays it.
 

Lizzie K

Registered User
Jul 31, 2007
18
0
East Midlands
Lizzie K

Hi, I have entered this discussion midway I think but hope I can help as to why the Council did this.

The Council will only reply to your mother as legally they are obliged to (something to do with human rights I think!) unless you are a registered guardian.

Also we had the same thing happen to us in respect of another form arriving. We filled in the first one, sent it off with the evidence of benefit claim and then received a second one shortly after. I rang the local authority who told me that the second one was a yearly check up, generated by computer. So even before our first request for a council tax rebate for my dad in law had been processed, because the details had entered the system we were automatically added to the yearly reminder list for that month!

Hope that makes sense. If you contact the local authority they will tell you just to fill in the second one to keep their files updated. Good luck! Lizzie K
 

gill@anchorage5

Registered User
Apr 29, 2007
211
0
Southampton
Is the resident carer entitled too?

Nebiroth said:
I was considering looking into this - although we are a household of three, I was considering applying because Dad would be disregarded (with dementia) and I could be (as a resident carer). This would at least get us down to having one taxable occupant, with some discount, although not as good as having zero tax.

Good Afternoon

Was interested to read post from Nebiroth. Hope the quote comes out OK as I've never tried to do this before!

My parents get a 25% deduction in their council tax in Southampton - as Dad suffers from AZ. Is a resident carer also entitled or does this vary from area to area? Would appreciate any confirmation / clarification, as if so Mum would be entitled to claim too & if so we should have done this many years ago, but were not aware.

Germain - I can imagine how angry you feel - standard letters from official departments rarely seem to consider the circumstances of the addressee. Hope you manage to speak to someone who understands.

Kind Regards to all

Gill x
 

jenniferpa

Registered User
Jun 27, 2006
39,442
0
Unfortunately, the resident carer exemption only applies if the carer is not the spouse (or a child under 18). Nebiroth could possibly claim it because of her circumstances - shes not the spouse or under 18 (are you Nebiroth?) :)
 

Nebiroth

Registered User
Aug 20, 2006
3,510
0
That's correct, it's because I am not dad's spouse, nor am I under 18.

However, looking further at it, it looks as though I would not be able to claim exemption if my dad already was. As we are a household of three, there is no benefit in doing so because two people pay the same.

But it would be worth it if it was just dad or or (or indeed mum and I) because that would reduce us to one, with the discount.

Also, to claim exemption, the person must be receiving the higher rate of attendance or disability living allowance.

When they mean "mentally incapable" they really mean it, I think it;s defined as "unable to understand what council tax is or what it is for"
With that in mind, it seems a little pointless writing to them to explain that they've asked to be disregarded because they won't understand
that either!
 

Zadok

Registered User
Mar 15, 2006
68
0
Kent
Hello all,
I had better luck with mums council tax in the end. I had already registered myself with the council tax people as having POA for mum. This was acknowledged and so they used my address which helped.
Then I heard that mum had x amount to pay and assumed we had been unsuccessful in the application for exception. (Which involved a letter to her GP asking him if, when asked if he wouldn't mind filling in the form as and when ...he didn't)
Then out of the blue I got a letter with a full refund as a lump sum paid into mums bank and also a phone call and apology for delay.
Mum was living on her own at the time. She is now in care and gets an exception as she is not in residence anyway.
It is worth doing these things as ' every little helps' as they say. Sometimes though its so mind boggling!
 

Helena

Registered User
May 24, 2006
715
0
I applied for Council Tax disregard for my Mother and the Council sent the forms direct to me plus the cheque for the refund

All very fast and efficient
 

alfjess

Registered User
Jul 10, 2006
1,213
0
south lanarkshire
Hi

I also phoned the Coucil tax people? telling them I had POA. Didn't ask for a copy.

They sent the forms direct to me, I completed them sent them of. "For the Atten Of", the person I had spoken with on the phone and no problem, Mum and Dad were exempt.

Alfjess
 

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