The Great Hunt: Have you got the 'severely mentally impaired' council tax discount?

Former_MSE_Sam_M

If you or someone you live with is diagnosed as 'severely mentally impaired' (SMI), your household could be eligible for a 25% council tax discount, or 100% if that person lives alone. If you've ever made a claim, we want to hear how it went.


Thanks in advance.

UPDATE: If you're looking to claim SMI or think you or someone in your household may be eligible then we have more information in our Council Tax guide.


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far

I applied for this when my mother's dementia worsened in 2011. They sent a form to her GP for it to be filled in and the discount was applied within 3 weeks and was backdated by 2 months too.

allean01

I applied for the discount.

Can't remember how I heard about it, but was not told by doctor or memory clinic who diagnosed her.

You hear about these things by accident.

Applying was easy (ish). Had to get a form signed by GP, then got the discount. And to my surprise, it was backdated too.:j

staggered

I heard about the discount in Martin's email.

My mum had had health problems for a long time before she died last year. She began receiving attendance allowance in 2007 because of her illness.

I wrote to the council on my dad's behalf, claiming the discount for the period between 2007 and her death. They wrote back asking us to complete a form and confirm that she'd received attendance allowance (I sent a photocopy of a letter the DWP had sent her).

This was duly returned and we heard nothing for a couple of months. According to the Council, they wrote to my mum's GP asking them to confirm she had had a severe mental impairment and they took ages to reply.

The GP confirmed mum's illness and my dad received 9 years' Council tax rebate - a 25% discount for 9 years which worked out at nearly £3000. It won't bring mum back but makes his life a good bit more comfortable.

The process was quite slow (largely due to the GP surgery) but quite easy.

Even if you're not 100% sure your illness falls under "severe mental impairment", if you think it might do, and you receive the appropriate benefits, make a claim, it's easy and you've nothing to lose. Crucially, "Severe Mental Impairment" isn't an "illness" that you're diagnosed with. You're diagnosed with another illness and it's up to the GP to decide, when asked to sign the form, whether it constitutes a "Severe Mental Impairment". So don't be put off applying ...

I've mentioned the rebate to a few people with similar illnesses and none of them had ever heard of it.

Bookworm1

I claimed this for my daughter who has Autism and just had to show the letter of her diagnosis. 25% discount was given. The council apologised for the name of the form.

DenBb

I applied for it for my husband who is SMI and was getting the 25% discount but my daughter has recently moved back in with us for a while so I knew I had to inform them because if there is another adult in the house, the discount stops. I shall apply again when she moves out.

madmaid

Hi
My Daughter has Aspergers and is on the Spectrum will she be intitled to this discount:A

louisekeefe

my mum had Alzheimers and lived alone. A letter from her Dr was all I needed to get the 100% council tax refunded back to diagnosis date.

PamN

I tried claiming SMI discount for a friend who has Alzheimer's. She lives along, has no relatives and I hold Power of Attorney for her. The Council said she has to claim Attendance Allowance before they can consider an SMI discount. She's still reasonably independent, though extremely forgetful, and I'm not sure if she's bad enough to claim Attendance Allowance.

chipp

A big thumbs down for a certain London borough beginning with H who try their hardest to deny all knowledge. Nothing helpful on their website, just get sent round in circles. An email to them disappeared into the ether. Better luck with a phone call but automated menu was overly complex and lengthy, trying to put people off no doubt.

Father has Alzheimer's, Mother mentally and physically disabled following a stroke. Council will POSSIBLY allow father's but we need to provide evidence of diagnosis AND attendance allowance - diagnosis alone isn't enough for them. Apparently although Mum receives AA and we can provide any amount of proof that she did indeed have a catastrophic stroke and the rep from the Stroke Association said she should definitely qualify, the council (because they are qualified medical practitioners after all) say she has to be mentally impaired and a stroke doesn't cause that! All I can say is that they should try getting her to make a decision on anything.

I feel better for venting!

staggered

chipp wrote: »

A big thumbs down for a certain London borough beginning with H who try their hardest to deny all knowledge. Nothing helpful on their website, just het sent round in circles. An email to them disappeared into the ether. Better luck with a phone call but automated menu was overly complex and lengthy, trying to put people off no doubt.

Father has Alzheimer's, Mother mentally and physically disabled following a stroke. Council will POSSIBLY allow father's but we need to provide evidence of diagnosis AND attendance allowance - diagnosis alone isn't enough for them. Apparently although Mum receives AA and we can provide any amount of proof that she did indeed have a catastrophic stroke and the rep from the Stroke Association said she should definitely qualify, the council (because they are qualified medical practitioners after all) say she has to be mentally impaired and a stroke doesn't cause that! All I can say is that they should try getting her to make a decision on anything.


I feel better for venting!

If your GP will certify your mothers' "severe mental impairment" and you meet other qualifying criteria (AA) then council's "opinion" counts for nothing, your mother is eligible.

I would go to Local Government Ombudsman.