We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
Take care when applying for the severely mentally impaired person Council Tax Discount
madcarer
Posts: 10 Forumite
I’m a live in carer and recently moved to Blackpool. The person who I care for receives ESA with severe disabilities and PIP. I applied for Housing Benefit for him and the Council contacted me to point out that as I had ticked the “mental issues” box, if I provided additional information he could be eligible for an additional 25% Council Tax Reduction. It took a lot of work getting all the paperwork and proof before the GP who had never met him signed him off as being SMI.
The Council granted the reduction but the following day changed everything. Where before the SMI, the Council would give him a discount of half of the property council tax, this has now been cancelled and a new Council Tax bill in my name for 75% of the property Council Tax!
I’m told that this is how the SMI discount works. But this is not what I was told when I struggled to get the information to get the SMI discount.
This leaves me as a carer a lot worse off.
The Council granted the reduction but the following day changed everything. Where before the SMI, the Council would give him a discount of half of the property council tax, this has now been cancelled and a new Council Tax bill in my name for 75% of the property Council Tax!
I’m told that this is how the SMI discount works. But this is not what I was told when I struggled to get the information to get the SMI discount.
This leaves me as a carer a lot worse off.
0
Comments
-
madcarer said:I’m a live in carer and recently moved to Blackpool. The person who I care for receives ESA with severe disabilities and PIP.I can't help with the council tax question but i'm sure others will.Do you receive carers allowance or the carers element of UC for looking after this person? I note here, that you stated they receive severe disabilities. Are you saying that this person claims the severe disability premium in with their ESA?
0 -
The SMI is nothing to do with Council Tax Reduction. it is a Council Tax Discount which reduces the headline Council Tax liability. Council Tax Reduction is a means tested benefit to help meet the liability.
it sounds as if he previously got CTR to pay his half of the bill but now that he is disregarded the council have treated you as fully liable for the remaining 75%.
What is your relationship to the person you care for? You may be eligible for a carer disregard if they are not your husband, wife, civil partner or child under 18. https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Council-Tax-Discounts/Carers
There are occasional posters on this forum who are very well informed about Council Tax who will hopefully see this and be able to offer more advice.
Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Some rules may be different in other parts of UK.0 -
Why not make a GDPR subject access request to the Council to obtain all information on the Councils records. Get the person you care for, to also do the same, so you have complete records.
Challenge the Council by making a complaint about the information they provided.
Speak to Citizens Advice about the situation and perhaps they can review the benefits you are receiving.The comments I post are personal opinion. Always refer to official information sources before relying on internet forums. If you have a problem with any organisation, enter into their official complaints process at the earliest opportunity, as sometimes complaints have to be started within a certain time frame.0 -
If needed, are you eligible for Council Tax Reduction yourself?Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Some rules may be different in other parts of UK.0
-
I am a pensioner who has a private pension and also receives PIP, but I receive/claim nothing for my carer role. Yes he gets ESA premium payment.
0 -
The person who I am carer for is an ex employee. I saw him years later in a real mess (he has major health problems), he couldn’t sort his medication, missed all his hospital appointments, and didn’t know how to claim benefits.
I took him in and sorted him out and have been looking after him ever since.0 -
Ask the Council Tax department about the Council Tax carer discount.Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Some rules may be different in other parts of UK.0
-
Blackpool Council now say the SMI makes the person I’m a carer for, exempt from Council Tax and they have given me the 25% Carers Discount. They acknowledge that the information given to me was misleading and incorrect but they stand by their decision. So all my hours of work and driving up and down to get documentation for the Council has left me with a Council Tax bill for 75%.
0 -
You could make a formal complaint and request financial compensation for the loss you have incurred as a result of their misleading advice.madcarer said:Blackpool Council now say the SMI makes the person I’m a carer for, exempt from Council Tax and they have given me the 25% Carers Discount. They acknowledge that the information given to me was misleading and incorrect but they stand by their decision. So all my hours of work and driving up and down to get documentation for the Council has left me with a Council Tax bill for 75%.
However I am not sure what you say they have told you is correct. Because the person you care for is now disregarded it is, for Council Tax, as if they are not there. You are therefore treated as a single persons living alone and therefore entitled to a 25% single person discount. I think this is probably what they have applied.
I think that as a carer you can also be disregarded in which case there would be no one counted as living in the property and no Council Tax to pay. Ask again about the carer discount/exemption.
https://www.gov.uk/council-tax/discounts-for-disabled-peopleDiscounts for disabled people
People who are severely mentally impaired are not included when working out Council Tax.
You also are not included if you’re a live-in carer looking after someone who is not your partner, spouse, or child under 18.I am still hoping someone with more knowledge of Council Tax will see this and offer advice for you.
Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Some rules may be different in other parts of UK.1 -
I had a nightmare with SMI for mental health issues a few years ago...
To clarify, you're a live-in carer for someone who was an ex-employee and is not related to you. You're not paid at all for caring for him, and you've moved into his house. All correct so far?
This sounds like it should apply, and nullify you too: https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Council-Tax-Discounts/Carers#:~:text=Carers-,Carers,35%20hours%20per%20week%20care.&text=The%20person%20you%20care%20for%20can't%20be%20your%20husband,partner%20or%20child%20under%2018.Signature down for maintenance :rotfl:0
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 352.2K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.6K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 454.3K Spending & Discounts
- 245.2K Work, Benefits & Business
- 600.9K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177.5K Life & Family
- 259K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.7K Read-Only Boards