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Council Tax 25% discount available 2 adults 1 is carer?

arcadia00
arcadia00 Posts: 82 Forumite
edited 7 May 2013 at 10:01AM in Benefits & tax credits
Is the 25% single occupancy discount available to the following household?

1 adult householder claiming attendance allowance at the lower rate ie no through night disturbance claimed for.

1 adult claiming carers allowance for looking after full time the above adult.

I'm not sure if my mother qualifies and also if she needs to be on the higher rate attendance allowance to qualify, this is mentioned on some council sites. Frankly I don't trust my own council to give me a definitive answer. Any help would be appreciated.

Oh, and can any possible refund be backdated to 2011?

Comments

  • CIS
    CIS Posts: 12,260 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Who is she caring for ? - if its a spouse or partner then she couldn't claim the disregard anyway however in any case the relevant benefit (low rate AA) doesn't meet the criteria to claim.
    I no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.
  • PippaGirl_2
    PippaGirl_2 Posts: 2,218 Forumite
    You can get the single person discount if you are the only person living in a property, you can't get it if anyone else lives there. So in your case with 2 people living in a property there wouldn't be a single person discount.
    However their income will be taken in to account and one may get full council tax support and the other (carer) may only need to pay a little depending on their income.
    "Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them." Dalai Lama
  • CIS
    CIS Posts: 12,260 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    So in your case with 2 people living in a property there wouldn't be a single person discount.

    Strictly speaking there is no such thing as a 'single person discount' , only a 25% and 50% reduction but the term is used enough to refer to the 25% discount (even if the discount is due to a disregard rather than sole occupancy) that most people refer to it as such.
    I no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.
  • arcadia00
    arcadia00 Posts: 82 Forumite
    I thought as her carer I could be subtracted from the occupancy count leaving 1 person (her) and so liable for single occupancy rate.
  • CIS
    CIS Posts: 12,260 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I thought as her carer I could be subtracted from the occupancy count leaving 1 person

    Only if you meet the criteria.
    and so liable for single occupancy rate.

    The reduction (if it was applicable) would be 25%, the same as if there was only 1 adult resident.
    I no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.
  • arcadia00
    arcadia00 Posts: 82 Forumite
    CIS wrote: »
    Only if you meet the criteria.



    The reduction (if it was applicable) would be 25%, the same as if there was only 1 adult resident.

    Yes, and it was on the qualification criteria that I was seeking clarity before I approached my council.
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