Council tax single person rebate - help!

glossy123

Does anyone know the rules regarding single person discount? I am carer to my elderly father and live with him. He has been in hospital for nearly four months so I applied for the single person discount for the relevant period. However the council says that the property is my father's main residence so they won't give a discount.:mad:

Surely if I was in hospital we would get a discount so why not when he is?

any information would be appreciated to help me argue the case!

CIS

A property will only cease to be his main residence where he has left the property and his main residence will be elsewhere. Being in hospital, unless it is permanent will not remove his main residence from the house.

You could state that this property is no longer his residence only if he is not expected to return home from hospital or a care home.

Midas

Agree with above about not being eligible for single person discount. However, your post just made me wonder, what other benefits are you getting? It might be worthing going to Citizens Advice or benefits office to see if you are getting everything you are entitled to e.g. are you getting any benefit for your role as a carer?

glossy123

Thanks very much for the answers. I was getting carer's allowance, but although the caring doesn't stop, the allowance does when he is not actually at home. That's on e of the reasons i was scratching around for some savings!!

Scrounger

Some carers qualify for a 25% reduction in council tax anyway (see here).

Council Tax discount for carers
To qualify for this 25% discount you must provide care for at least 35 hours a week and...

Live with the person you are caring for
Not be the partner of the person you care for, or their parent if you care for a child under 18
Care for someone who receives either the highest rate of the care component of DLA (Disability Living Allowance) OR the higher rate of attendance allowance or constant attendance allowance

Scrounger