Smi doctors certificate

exhausted 2015

Registered User
Jul 5, 2015
624
0
stoke on trent
Hi does anyone know if the doctor charges a fee for signing the severely mentally impaired certificate, which is needed for council tax discount claim
Thanks in advance.. Exhausted 2015 xx
 

Izzy

Volunteer Moderator
Aug 31, 2003
74,002
0
72
Dundee
As far as I recall our GP didn't charge but that was a while ago and things may have changed in the practice. I'm pretty sure our practice has a website and they detail the charges for various things there.

There was a charge when I needed a letter for the travel insurance company when I had to cancel a holiday. I think it was £25.
 

jenniferpa

Registered User
Jun 27, 2006
39,442
0
Actually while they may try to charge you, this is specifically one of the forms for which they may not charge. It's one of the prescribed medical certificates that they must provide free of charge.

Edit and nitram got there first. :D
 

scattysue

Registered User
Aug 20, 2015
65
0
Nothing new to add to what others have said - my sister's GP signed the SMI declaration without charge. He has also been very helpful with letters of support for other agencies. Good luck x
 

curtainsgalore

Registered User
Nov 2, 2014
46
0
My Mums council didn't charge any council tax for someone with EMI. To get the relief you had to be in receipt of AA. I don't think they advertise it very much though.
 

exhausted 2015

Registered User
Jul 5, 2015
624
0
stoke on trent
My Mums council didn't charge any council tax for someone with EMI. To get the relief you had to be in receipt of AA. I don't think they advertise it very much though.

Hi thank you yes dad gets higher rate attendance Allowance but he lives with us and I have carers allowance for him, I will just have to see what happens, I know they don't make it common knowledge I stumbled on it by chance. Best wishes exhausted 2015 xx
 

exhausted 2015

Registered User
Jul 5, 2015
624
0
stoke on trent
Actually while they may try to charge you, this is specifically one of the forms for which they may not charge. It's one of the prescribed medical certificates that they must provide free of charge.

Edit and nitram got there first. :D
Hi Jenniferpa thank you for replying to this post just wanted to update that I have in fact been charged £20 today for signing the SMI form xx
 

jenniferpa

Registered User
Jun 27, 2006
39,442
0
This makes me so cross.

I personally would print out the relevant sheet of the the document nitram gave a link to, contact the practice manager and ask them why they have charged you. Actually, I'd be inclined to go there in person but I know that can be tough when you are caring. Let me see if I can find how you make a complaint about being charged when you shouldn't be (that is, over their heads, because if they've done it to you, they've done it to other people).
 

exhausted 2015

Registered User
Jul 5, 2015
624
0
stoke on trent
This makes me so cross.

I personally would print out the relevant sheet of the the document nitram gave a link to, contact the practice manager and ask them why they have charged you. Actually, I'd be inclined to go there in person but I know that can be tough when you are caring. Let me see if I can find how you make a complaint about being charged when you shouldn't be (that is, over their heads, because if they've done it to you, they've done it to other people).

Hi thank you I did try to state that there was some ruling about being exempt but could not hang around any longer to argue the point.. Just had an hospital appointment from hell with dad xxx thank you for looking into to it for me x
 

jenniferpa

Registered User
Jun 27, 2006
39,442
0
http://www.nhs.uk/choiceintheNHS/Rightsandpledges/complaints/Pages/NHScomplaints.aspx

I really am more generally in favour of making the complaint to the provider so that they have the opportunity to fix it. So first contact the practice manager and ask why you were charged. If they say "woops, that was an error, here's your refund" then it might be a one-off. If, on the other hand, they try to tell you they are permitted to charge for this, or argue with you about it, start the formal complaint procedure.
 

Kevinl

Registered User
Aug 24, 2013
6,064
0
Salford
Totally wrong that the doctors charged you, it's also not true that you have to get AA to qualify just an SMI is enough. It is true you may have to prove that someone has an SMI and a GP's signature is one way. I applied on line to Salford council, not many questions (from what I recall), they the e-mailed me and I photographed the diagnosis letter from the consultant to my wife's GP and the award letter for DLA and mobility allowance, attached the pics to an e-mail and sent it to them. They cancelled my council tax for the rest of the year and sent me a cheque (£400 or thereabouts) backdating the discount to the date of diagnosis.
I'd e-mail Nitram's link to the practise manager and ask if they're aware what they're doing is illegal, see how that goes down, don't phone unless you record it, put it in writing make them answer in writing, it's funny how peoples attitude changes when there's a paper trail involved.
K
 

jenniferpa

Registered User
Jun 27, 2006
39,442
0
It's not a ruling, it's part of the NHS England Standard General Medical Services Contract. Say to them:

Part 17 of the NHS England Standard General Medical Services Contract does not permit you to charge me for this certificate because it's to support a claim by or on behalf of a severely mentally impaired person for exemption from liability to pay the Council Tax or eligibility for a discount in respect of the amount of Council Tax payable as required by the Local Government Finance Act 1992.
 

exhausted 2015

Registered User
Jul 5, 2015
624
0
stoke on trent
Totally wrong that the doctors charged you, it's also not true that you have to get AA to qualify just an SMI is enough. It is true you may have to prove that someone has an SMI and a GP's signature is one way. I applied on line to Salford council, not many questions (from what I recall), they the e-mailed me and I photographed the diagnosis letter from the consultant to my wife's GP and the award letter for DLA and mobility allowance, attached the pics to an e-mail and sent it to them. They cancelled my council tax for the rest of the year and sent me a cheque (£400 or thereabouts) backdating the discount to the date of diagnosis.
I'd e-mail Nitram's link to the practise manager and ask if they're aware what they're doing is illegal, see how that goes down, don't phone unless you record it, put it in writing make them answer in writing, it's funny how peoples attitude changes when there's a paper trail involved.
K
Thank you both I will look into it tomorrow just had not got the time today had to take dad to the hospital for chest xray and it turned into a nightmare no parking spaces no wheelchairs etc so by the time I had got to the surgery with the forms dad was getting restless and needed to get home
Thanks again.. I will post the outcome xx
 

Dearie Me

Registered User
Feb 2, 2012
41
0
Scotland
We live in Scotland so some of the legalities may be slightly different. When I first asked our go to sign the form he was reluctant as he felt mum wasn't quite that bad. Around a year later I asked again and he was happy to sign. I wasn't charged. However, the point of this post is to say that our council then backdated the exemption to the date mum first received attendance allowance. There seems to be a real postcode lottery as to how rules are interpreted.
 

exhausted 2015

Registered User
Jul 5, 2015
624
0
stoke on trent
We live in Scotland so some of the legalities may be slightly different. When I first asked our go to sign the form he was reluctant as he felt mum wasn't quite that bad. Around a year later I asked again and he was happy to sign. I wasn't charged. However, the point of this post is to say that our council then backdated the exemption to the date mum first received attendance allowance. There seems to be a real postcode lottery as to how rules are interpreted.

That's interesting as dad got his attendance Allowance before we got his dementia diagnosis. Because of other health problems I will have to see what happens xx
 

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