Council Tax Exemption - means tested?

[sinkhole]

My mother has had a 100% reduction for her Council Tax for the last few years and from before she was diagnosed with dementia 18 months ago. I have LPA and the Council Tax office has me as the point of contact.

In June the LA Benefit Office requested details of her private pensions for some reason but because the letter went to her address and wasn't actioned, they terminated her reduction and so then the Council Tax office started sending out Council Tax demands for the full charge. That's when I found out what had happened and wrote to the LA including the pension information, informing them she has dementia and asking for the decision to be reviewed.

I've now got a letter asking for proof of all her capital, bank statements for 3 months etc. etc. and also saying she may be eligible for an exemption and for me to contact the Council Tax office for a claim form.

If I now apply for the Exemption due to the dementia, am I still going to have to provide all the financial information to the Benefits Office? I don't even know why Benefits suddenly got involved in the Council Tax situation. She is already claiming the higher Attendance Allowance.

Do I apply for a Council Tax reduction/exemption under "severely mentally impaired discount" rather than "disabilities discount"?

 

[nitram]

SMI disregard is not means tested, no financial info is required, just a signature by a doctor and eligibility of a defined benefit, attendance allowance is a common one. Disregard came be backdated to when the benefit and doctor's signature co-existed.

Other discounts are means tested.

Yes, apply for SMI

 

[Jessbow]

Is this any help?

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-s...sregards-exemptions-council-tax#content-start

 

[Duggies-girl]

Absolutely agree with @nitram Council tax exemption is not means tested.

 

[sinkhole]

I've just received a final notice for over £1000 of Council Tax they have presumably back dated from when they cancelled her discount. I didn't see any previous reminder for this amount and they are expecting it to be paid in 5 days time or they will start legal proceedings and add costs.

What are these people playing at? If my mother saw these letters she'd be worrying about it day and night. There seems to be zero empathy for the elderly and those suffering from dementia in some of these LA departments and no communication going on between them.

 

[Mustang66]

My mother has had a 100% reduction for her Council Tax for the last few years and from before she was diagnosed with dementia 18 months ago. I have LPA and the Council Tax office has me as the point of contact.

In June the LA Benefit Office requested details of her private pensions for some reason but because the letter went to her address and wasn't actioned, they terminated her reduction and so then the Council Tax office started sending out Council Tax demands for the full charge. That's when I found out what had happened and wrote to the LA including the pension information, informing them she has dementia and asking for the decision to be reviewed.

I've now got a letter asking for proof of all her capital, bank statements for 3 months etc. etc. and also saying she may be eligible for an exemption and for me to contact the Council Tax office for a claim form.

If I now apply for the Exemption due to the dementia, am I still going to have to provide all the financial information to the Benefits Office? I don't even know why Benefits suddenly got involved in the Council Tax situation. She is already claiming the higher Attendance Allowance.

Do I apply for a Council Tax reduction/exemption under "severely mentally impaired discount" rather than "disabilities discount"?

 

[Mustang66]

Hi I think what it is you only get 25% discounted council tax for mental impairment
If for some reason there has been 100% discount then someone has probably made a mistake somewhere....hope this helps

 

[nitram]

Hi I think what it is you only get 25% discounted council tax for mental impairment
If for some reason there has been 100% discount then someone has probably made a mistake somewhere....hope this helps

SMI means the person is disregarded for CT purposes ie does not exist, occupancy reduced by 1

Hence
3 occupants - no change, still 2 occupants
2 occupants - reduces to sole occupancy, 25% discount applies
1 occupant - 100% discount

 

[sinkhole]

SMI disregard is not means tested, no financial info is required, just a signature by a doctor and eligibility of a defined benefit, attendance allowance is a common one. Disregard came be backdated to when the benefit and doctor's signature co-existed.

Other discounts are means tested.

Yes, apply for SMI

They've now granted the exemption but at the same time are asking for more money as they claim she underpaid Council Tax during 2018/19 and 2019/20. When should the exemption be backdatable from?

 

[nitram]

When should the exemption be backdatable from?

As said the SMI disregard should date from when the eligibility to a qualifying benefit (AA?) and the doctors statement of when the condition co-existed. Both conditions have to be met, one without the other does not count.

Where previous years discounts based on means testing which is now being revised?

 

[sinkhole]

As said the SMI disregard should date from when the eligibility to a qualifying benefit (AA?) and the doctors statement of when the condition co-existed. Both conditions have to be met, one without the other does not count.

Where previous years discounts based on means testing which is now being revised?

I can only assume that, but I wasn't involved when she originally got her discount. I'm going to speak to them to find out. Do you mean the statement from the doctor they would have recently requested or whenever the doctor orginally diagnosed she had dementia? She's been receiving full AA and has been diagnosed for over a year.

 

[nitram]

Two dates

• Award of AA
• Date entered by GP Typically
  Approximate date the condition became permanent __ / __ / __ on https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/si...ere Mental Impairment Doctors Certificate.pdf

The latter of these two is the effective date for SMI

 

[sinkhole]

Two dates

• Award of AA
• Date entered by GP Typically
  Approximate date the condition became permanent __ / __ / __ on https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Council Tax Severe Mental Impairment Doctors Certificate.pdf

The latter of these two is the effective date for SMI

Thanks.