Council Tax Single Person Discount sixth form leavers.

CarmarthenSingleP

Carmarthenshire Council conducted a review of single person discounts in September and the form was misleading single parents of sixth form leavers into giving away their discount as their child was now 18.

Has anybody else experienced this or been misled into paying Council Tax which they should not?

The disregard which  Councils are ignoring is
"A person under 20 years old who has left school or college after 30 April of that year. (They are not counted for Council Tax until 1 November of the same year, whether or not they take up employment during that time)."

This is cut and pasted from the Welsh government website. I havent found it on the equivalent UK/English government website but it is in many English Councils' own guidance pages and national consumer rights websites.

I would like to find out how widespread this (bad) practice is. Also to gather proof that it is occurring and to raise awareness of the issue.

The review was conducted by NEC Solutions (Capita related) for Carmarthenshire so I dont think it will be limited to the one Council.

I also welcome any corrections or improvements'

CarmarthenSingleP

I have found a relevant law granting the reduction for anybody into such details.

UK Statutory Instruments 1993 No. 149 Regulation 2

pbez64

Sorry but it is widely known and applied by all councils. If they cancel the sp from the day before the 2nd resident turns 18 this is correct. Then until 31st October the 2nd person is disregarded as a person under 20 in f/t education so a one- regard discount is awarded- this is also 25% It only needs a person to tell the council this if sp has been cancelled cos of 18th birthday as the council tax department may not know the 2nd persons circumstances. Hope that helps.

There are other types of council tax disregards that probably need more publicity such as the family carers type B but the u20 in f/t education is a very common one.