Council Tax Reduction For Severe Mental Impairment

[barry1010]

I helped my neighbour apply for this 8 weeks ago although we didn't really think she had a chance. Today she has been refunded 25% of last year's bill and this year's has been adjusted. Ongoing she will continue to get the discount.
If you think you might qualify, please apply. Some councils backdate the refund for many years.
https://www.mentalhealthandmoneyadvice.org/en/welfare-benefits/can-i-claim-welfare-benefits-if-i-m-living-with-a-mental-illness/council-tax-exemptions-and-support-to-pay/

[Peter Pedant]

everyone says I'm mad- do you think I will qualify?

[barry1010]

Do you get a qualifying benefit due to your mental health?

[Buenchico]

'Severe mental impairment'? I'm tempted to start a list of AB members whom I feel should automatically qualify but I think that I'd probably better not ;-)

More seriously though, the golden rule for any form of benefit should always be "If in doubt, apply for it". As long as everything you put on the application is true, the very worst that can happen is that you'll be refused. (i.e. you can't be prosecuted for attempted fraud).

With regard specifically to Council Tax, it's definitely worth challenging anything that doesn't seem to be right. I was getting a 100% reduction on my Council Tax due to my low income but then, because I started receiving my State Pension, my circumstances changed.

I immediately advised the Council Tax office in writing, providing them with the exact figures for my new income. However they continued to apply a 100% discount to my bill until the very end of the tax year, when they then demanded a year's Council Tax in a single payment (with no option to pay in instalments).

I wrote to my local councillor, protesting that dropping such a large bill in someone's lap (when payment by instalments should have been asked for a year earlier) seemed unfair to me. She managed to get the entire year's bill totally written off for me!

[retrocop]

I've been bimbling along since I retired in 1997. On advice from a fellow ex nurse my wife applied for Attendance Allowance. It was granted and back dated . The only benefit we have ever received is child allowance and I don't believe in that. The AA certainly will help with all the modifications and adaptions for my every day requirements which we have already shelled out for.

[retrocop]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
apropos. I hasten to add that I ,fortunately, do not suffer from mental impairment but the point is that benefits are really available for those who really need them albeit mental or physical.

[barry1010]

retro, I had no idea about your circumstances and am discombobulated. I sincerely hope you are comfortable at least.

Buenchico, well done. I am a big believer in making waves when things are not as they should be. I'm very glad it worked out for you.

[THECORBYLOON]

CHRIS, you were very lucky to have the overpayment written off.

Even though it was the result of Official Error, as you knew you were no longer entitled to the full discount, it was recoverable still.