Council tax and disability

beardo74

Hi,

My mum has been registered disabled for nearly ten years. She recently found out she could claim a council tax reduction due to her disability, which her council has approved.

However, is she entitled to a refund on previous years where the house had been modified to help her with her disability? If yes, any advice would be appreciated on how to go about doing this.

Regards.

CIS

However, is she entitled to a refund on previous years where the house had been modified to help her with her disability? If yes, any advice would be appreciated on how to go about doing this.

It depends what the adaptations have been and when they were placed in the property.

beardo74

Hi CIS,

The adaptation was building a downstairs bathroom as she suffers from rheumatoid arthritis. She's had the downstairs bathroom for six years but only became aware of the concession last year (and successfully applied for it).

Regards

antrobus

AgeUK says;

There is no time limit for applying and a disability reduction can be backdated to the date it should have first applied

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/EN-GB/Factsheets/FS21_Council_Tax_fcs.pdf?dtrk=true

CIS

The post above is correct - providing you can show that there was an entitlement to the reduction then there's nothing in legislation to prevent it being backdated.

Write to the council in the first instance and enclose any proof of when the work was undertaken.

beardo74

Dear CIS and AgeUK,

Many thanks for your good advice, it is much appreciated.

Regards.

beardo74

Hi. I'm having difficulty locating the receipt of the downstairs bathroom as it was built in 2008. Is there any other type of evidence the council will accept for a refund?

My mum was registered disabled in 2008.

Thanks.

CIS

Hi. I'm having difficulty locating the receipt of the downstairs bathroom as it was built in 2008. Is there any other type of evidence the council will accept for a refund?

Did you get a grant or similar ? . Did you need planning permission ?

beardo74

Hi CIS,

Apologies for the delayed reply.

We did not receive a grant or need plannng permission as we converted part of the downstairs into a spearate bathroom for her. Could she have qualified for a grant?

Regards.

Savvy_Sue

beardo74 wrote: »

Could she have qualified for a grant?

She might have done, but the question is entirely academic now as you definitely can't claim one if you've already done the work!

Is the company you used still in business? Might they still have their records and be willing to confirm that they installed a downstairs bathroom for you?

jennifernil

Did you not need any building regs approval/sign off?

Up here in Scotland, the installation of a toilet requires an application for what we call a "building warrant", rather than planning permission.

You can only proceed once this is granted, and once the work is done and approved you receive a "completion certificate".

All this paperwork would be needed when you come to sell the house.