MSE's Council Tax Discounts guide

MSE_Kit

Hello everyone,

We've written a brand new guide on Council Tax Discounts. This is the discussion thread for that guide.

If you haven't already, join the forum to reply.

Thanks,

Kit

calcotti

I think it's very confusing to mix up 'discounts' (such as single occupancy discount) with Council Tax Reduction schemes for people on low incomes. The latter are not discounts. The two should be separated out.
Discounts are fixed percentages whereas the amount of Council tax Reduction will vary depending on finances and (for working ge people) the rules of the particular local authority.

A person on guarantee Pension Credit does not get a discount. They are entitled to 100% Council Tax Reduction (less any non-dependant deductions that may apply).

Discounts are part of the Council Tax rules.

Council Tax Reduction is a welfare benefit.

CIS

I agree - council tax discounts & exemptions need to be kept entirely separate from Council Tax Reduction, as they are two different systems, each with their own rules.

MSE_Kit

Hi both - thanks for this feedback, it's really valuable.

I've amended the guide (not the structure) to be as clear as possible what's technically a reduction and what's technically a discount, with links to the relevant Gov discount and Gov reduction pages. I've also tried to make clearer throughout the guide that discounts and reductions generally are at the discretion of local councils, even though I haven't separated 'discounts' and 'reductions' into separate chapters.

I hope this suffices.

Best wishes,

Kit

pankaye

For nursing students in university (even if part time) are eligible for council tax reduction. There is some debate nurse apprentices and apprentice nurse associates (TNA's) are also eligible

SGK85

I was on the reduced rate as a single person but then had to move out and back in with my parents due to my health, I am disabled and on long term unpaid sick from work yet now as the house is empty while it is up for sale the council are charging me full rate! It’s crazy!

lincroft1710

SGK85 said:

I was on the reduced rate as a single person but then had to move out and back in with my parents due to my health, I am disabled and on long term unpaid sick from work yet now as the house is empty while it is up for sale the council are charging me full rate! It’s crazy!

CT legislation was written so that where there was only one occupier in a dwelling there was a discount. At one time empty dwellings had a short term exemption but more recent legislation has seen most councils no longer giving this exemption. Not much comfort to you but the council are correct in charging you full rate. 

Albermarle

MSE_Kit said:

Hello everyone,

We've written a brand new guide on Council Tax Discounts. This is the discussion thread for that guide.

If you haven't already, join the forum to reply.

Thanks,

Kit

Although you mention carers ( plural) in the graphic, it is not that clear from the text, that more than one carer can be disregarded for council tax , as long as they all fit the guidelines. In practice though, you might have trouble justifying it  if you said there were more than two carers .

From our experience/comments on the forum/friends experiences, many council tax staff are unaware of these discounts/the criteria used. Often it has to be pushed up the management chain.

Not sure if you mention it, but some of these discounts can be backdated, several years in some cases, although policy seems to vary from council to council.

On the other side if anything changes you have to inform them straightaway.

Albermarle

Also might be worth making a link to the disability forum ?

twitwoo

Thanks for posting the guides - MSE_Kit - you've done a good job explaining a confusing system!

I'm trying to help my Mother, who cares for my SMI step-father (he has dementia), to apply for a SMI Council Tax discount.

I've been using the Council Tax Discount guide, along with the "How to claim the 'severely mentally impaired' council tax discount" guide.  I realise that my mother would not be counted as a live-in carer (as she's caring for her husband). 

Attendance Allowance has just been applied for, the dementia diagnosis was made some years ago.

I was wondering whether the council would automatically backdate council tax discount by several years (as some have suggested) or whether that has changed because of the High Court decision?

I was thinking of advising my mother to contact the council and apply for the discount now, even though the Attendance Allowance is still being processed. This would give council notice and hopefully ensure the council tax discount is applied at least from the date Attendance Allowance is awarded.

Does anyone have experience of applying for the SMI discount? 


   

MSE_Kit

Albermarle said:

MSE_Kit said:

Hello everyone,

We've written a brand new guide on Council Tax Discounts. This is the discussion thread for that guide.

If you haven't already, join the forum to reply.

Thanks,

Kit

Although you mention carers ( plural) in the graphic, it is not that clear from the text, that more than one carer can be disregarded for council tax , as long as they all fit the guidelines. In practice though, you might have trouble justifying it  if you said there were more than two carers .

From our experience/comments on the forum/friends experiences, many council tax staff are unaware of these discounts/the criteria used. Often it has to be pushed up the management chain.

Not sure if you mention it, but some of these discounts can be backdated, several years in some cases, although policy seems to vary from council to council.

On the other side if anything changes you have to inform them straightaway.

Hi Albemarle,

Thanks for this feedback.

I'll attempt to make it clearer in the text that more than one person can qualify as a live-in carer.

In your follow-up comment about a link to the disability forum, where are you proposing that this goes?

twitwoo said:

Thanks for posting the guides - MSE_Kit - you've done a good job explaining a confusing system!

I'm trying to help my Mother, who cares for my SMI step-father (he has dementia), to apply for a SMI Council Tax discount.

I've been using the Council Tax Discount guide, along with the "How to claim the 'severely mentally impaired' council tax discount" guide.  I realise that my mother would not be counted as a live-in carer (as she's caring for her husband). 

Attendance Allowance has just been applied for, the dementia diagnosis was made some years ago.

I was wondering whether the council would automatically backdate council tax discount by several years (as some have suggested) or whether that has changed because of the High Court decision?

I was thinking of advising my mother to contact the council and apply for the discount now, even though the Attendance Allowance is still being processed. This would give council notice and hopefully ensure the council tax discount is applied at least from the date Attendance Allowance is awarded.

Does anyone have experience of applying for the SMI discount? 


   

Twitoo,

Thanks for your feedback. Glad the guide is helping.

From what we know, backdating really does vary by council. Hopefully some people who've had first-hand experience of trying to backdate an SMI discount will be able to give you some more insight.

Kit