Council Tax Win...!

[Jude]

Dear All,

I have just received a call from our local Council to confirm that my parents have indeed been paying Council Tax in error for over 3 years, since I wasn't aware that AD sufferers were exempt, or partially exempt until very recently.

They are now sending a cheque for a refund backdated to May 2000, which is when my parents were both diagnosed as having AD.

Do make sure that you check with your own local authority regarding status.

Best wishes,

Jude

 

[Suzy R]

Every cloud...

Dear Jude,

do people pay council tax 'in their own right' or is this based on household? Could my father get back half his council tax as my mother is diagnosed with AD, or does he have to divvy up for her as he's still okay ?

Excuse my ignorance re. council tax. It didn't exist when I left the UK and rates were per household, not per person living in household ...

Love, Suzy.

P.S. Do you count as an ex-pat in this case, or do you have to pay your council tax, too? I seem to remember that you didn't qualify for an attendance allowance because of this.

 

[CraigC]

Hi Jude,

thanks for the info. I have just received the forms from Bournemouth Council - nearly 20 pages asking about income etc. Your success story has given me the motivation to spend an hour form filling this evening

Kind Regards
Craig

 

[Jude]

Dear Craig,

HANG ON JUST A MOMENT!!

The fact that my parents both have AD and are therefore both exempt from paying Council Tax, has NOTHING whatever to do with their income and is not means tested!!

Do check things out thoroughly before you send off very private information, which in my opinion, is none of their business.

I have a basic view of treating Govt bodies on a 'need to know' basis..... frankly, if they don't already know, then they have no need to know....

Best wishes,

Jude

 

[carol]

Dear Craig,

To claim council tax reduction, we didn't have to fill in any forms to do with income. The person with AD has to be receiving appropriate benefits, my mother in law receives the higher level of attendance allowance and her consultant had to fill in a form, we didn't have to fill in 20 pages of info.

Carol

 

[Jude]

Dear Suzy,

Since I am a 'non resident' for the purposes of claiming an allowance from the SS, I have registered myself with the local authority as a 'visitor'. They did not dispute this today when I spoke to them.

As much as both organisations would probably like to have their cake and eat it......... I'm either resident and therefore entitled to an allowance or am non-resident and exempt from Council Tax - surely??

At this stage, I'd prefer to stick with the non-residency status, since the SS allowance would not be sufficient to pay my Council Tax and I'd like to know who would fork out the balance, since I certainly can't pay it from my parents' funds and have no finances in this country anyway.

And that brings me very nicely into my post about zero wages for Carers on Norm's thread about emailing your local MP and NHS care fees.......

Interesting situation really.... could make a really good Court Case and some huge publicity for the AS web.

Best wishes,

Jude

 

[Jude]

Dear Carol,

Thanks for that reminder. That was one of the criteria - a higher level of Attendance Allowance is essential to be able to claim any discount for Council Tax.

Jude

 

[CraigC]

Thank you both so much.

I think that I'll give them a ring before passing on the personal information. The form they sent was dual purpose both for Benefits and Council Tax benefits. I think they may have just sent the wrong form in our case......

thanks again
Craig....

 

[Norman]

craig and all
there is no long form filling,I had mine time back backdated,it was SOOO easy.
Norman

 

[Norman]

PS
you do not have to be in receipt of the higher attendance allowance,the lower will suffice
Norman

 

[barraf]

Council tax

Dear Craig
There is a special form for Dementia sufferes and it is nowhere near 20 pages. I went into the Council tax office to pick up the form and the first person I spoke to was trying to give me the long form for normal Council tax benefits.
When I queried it she went to see her supervisor and returned with the correct form.
The only delay we had was waiting for the consultant to sign saying Margaret was indeed suffering from AD.
We of course got back pay from the date that Attendance allowance was paid.
Hope this helps.
Cheers Barraf

 

[CraigC]

Hi Barraff,

It does help thanks!

If I find out the title ref/no of the form I'll be sure to post it here.

thanks again
Craig

 

[HELEN]

Hi All,

I had the same problem as Barraf, when i tried to get the form to claim council tax exemption i was also repeatedly offered council tax disability discount form & also suggested i try claiming council tax benefit or income support. I kept insisting mum should be exempt & they kept saying no such exemption, despite saying so in their own literature . Eventually ( 2 visits & 7 phone calls later) i got the correct form . Did have to insist on speaking to a supervisor & advising i had contacted local Alzheimer Society , Age Concern & local city councillor to advise they were refusing to give exemption. Suddenly the person who had always been out of the office & not returned my calls rang me back & couldn't do enough. Managed to get the name & direct number of the person who deals with exemption & passed this on to both local Alz branch & Age Concern so hopefully others won't have the same trouble. The form has only 2 questions do you get attendance allowance or equivalent benefit & ask doctor to sign to say has dementia. I'm now investigating discount for carers . I believe that if you are a carer then you should also be classed as an exempt adult so if your father cares for your mother suzy then he may be exempt & they might not have to pay any council tax. If i find out i'll let you know.

Take care all

Helen

 

[CraigC]

Hi Everyone,

Finally found the forms. Just incase anyone else tries to do this in Bournemouth sometime, here are the links:

Reductions for the Mentally Impaired (Council Tax Discount Form)

Care Workers and Care Providers (Council Tax Discount Form)

Hope that helps
Craig

 

[Norman]

Helen
please let us know about exemption for carers,I understood husband/wife/partner where not eligble?
I do hope I am wrong
Norman

 

[Jude]

Dear Norman,

The criteria for exemptions may well vary between Councils, but here they were only prepared to grant a full exemption on evidence of full attendance allowance.

Best wishes,

Jude

 

[storm]

Hi all, people withA/D and thier carers are exempt from council tax but as there are 4 adults living here that didnt work for us so i then applied for a discount because we have made one down stairs room into a bed/sitting room for mum and low and behold we very promtly got discount! storm

 

[Jude]

Dear Storm,

Good news indeed. It all helps, doesn't it?

Jude

 

[bernie]

I have written to the council today re council tax rebate/reduction. should the council tax be backdated to the time my mum was diagnosed with AD June 2000 or to the time we started claiming attendance allowance october 2004?

many thanks

 

[Linda Mc]

This thread is really interesting as I spoke to a person in our local office who told me I was not entitled to claim. A reduction would apply if I was not married to the person I cared for!

Our local carers champion was most surprised when I told her this and said she would look into it. If I recieved a form through the post I would know I was entitled to claim, however no joy, so assumed I was not entitled and now I am confused!

Do the rules vary county to county?

Linda