Do you stop paying council tax at a certain age?

LisaB85

My stepdads father who is 84 is going senile so has been left to his children to sort his finances and bills as he has not been paying, he needs to be in a home but he refuses so is currently having carers 3-4 times a day. Anyway one of his daughters says that he shouldn't have to pay council tax at 84 but I have never heard of this.

Do you stop paying council tax at a certain age? or does she mean he should be getting council tax benefit?

kingfisherblue

I think she means council tax benefit. If he is the sole occupant, he should get 25% discount, then possibly council tax benefit depending on income.

hallowitch

my auntie is 90 and pays councils tax she get the 25% single occupant discount but is not entitled to any other rebate because of her income and savings

seven-day-weekend

You don't stop paying it at any age. However, depending on income and savings, you may be entitled to Council Tax Benefit to cover the full amount.

Mojisola

It would be worth the family asking AgeUK to do a benefit check for him.

Is he getting Attendance Allowance or Pension Credit?

CKhalvashi

LisaB85 wrote: »

My stepdads father who is 84 is going senile so has been left to his children to sort his finances and bills as he has not been paying, he needs to be in a home but he refuses so is currently having carers 3-4 times a day. Anyway one of his daughters says that he shouldn't have to pay council tax at 84 but I have never heard of this.

Do you stop paying council tax at a certain age? or does she mean he should be getting council tax benefit?

I'm sure that many people believe you should stop paying, but many don't.

It will depend on his income, savings and a whole range of other features to know whether he's entitled to CTB, and I couldn't answer without doing a thorough assessment of circumstances.

Speak to the council and see if he's entitled to anything, with details of income, savings and care needs, as if he's not entitled to anything, in certain circumstances a different banding criteria will apply.

CK

princessdon

If he is on a passported benefit (eg Pension Credit) then he won't pay once he reached pension age (even if he paid whislt working).

Do you know what if any benefits they are on?

margaretclare

No, you most certainly do NOT stop paying council tax when you reach 'a certain age'! Would that it were so!

However, there is a thing called 'council tax benefit' which applies to people in receipt of means-tested benefits i.e. pension credit, which is where the link with 'age' comes in.

If you don't qualify for any means-tested benefits, you still go on paying council tax whatever the age that you may reach.

LisaB85

Thank you will pass the info on and ask them to speak to age to make sure he is getting everything he should

Didn't think you did stop paying but thought I'd better check with people who would know lol x

sleepless_saver

If he is severely mentally impaired then he can claim exemption from council tax. That means that if he lives alone there will no council tax to pay. The exemption is unlikely to be backdated for more than 3 months, but no harm in asking.

To claim exemption, he needs a certificate from GP to confirm his mental state and he needs to be getting attendance allowance.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/FinancialSupport/Taxreliefandreductions/DG_10026451

http://alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=137

BobQ

LisaB85 wrote: »

Thank you will pass the info on and ask them to speak to age to make sure he is getting everything he should

Didn't think you did stop paying but thought I'd better check with people who would know lol x

Based on what you have said I suspect he should qualify for Attenance Allowance which is not means tested. If he is not claimimg this he should try.