Council Tax - why do seniors have to pay the full amount?

Just a quick question. Does this 7 year thing apply from when they die or when they made a will? If the will was made years ago, how does this work?

Don't think you all need tin hats..it seems to be the majority view that need matters more than age.
I would willingly pay a bit more council tax to keep the services like home care that we are going to need.

It used to be - maybe I am behind the times.

I agree with all the interesting comments.

A note on child benefit ( Luckygirl ) it is not paid to higher wage earners.

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I'm sure that Luckygirl is right, it would be more expensive to means test for many of these benefits than to pay them to all pensioners.
My daughter is long-term disabled and at one stage did not pay council tax, but now has to pay a discounted rate which is far more than she could afford, so the Bank of Mum and Dad have had to take it on for her. I should add that she is constantly reassessed for her benefits and the forms that she has to complete are very long and fiddly. At one stage she got help with them and advice on all her problems and difficulties (for which she had to pay from her benefits) but now she gets less benefits and no help from anyone. Except advice from a nurse when she goes in for her regular injected medication who seems to have advised her that she would be better off not seeing us at all. Perhaps the nurse is willing and able to take on our role, involving both 24 hour telephone support and financial support?

Sorry, this has turned into a bitter rant!

I don't think seniors should automatically get a reduction the present system of income based reduction is fair to all. I find since I retired I use more services such as swimming zumba pilates and adult learning that I didn't have time to do when working full time. Retirement would be very lonely without all these.

We get a reduction on council tax (a band drop) because my husband uses one of our bedrooms to do his peritoneal dialysis (4 x a day). The only other help we get is our bins are fetched, emptied and returned. It's not means tested and shouldn't be either.

I can't moan about our council tax Greenwich borough hasn't been put up for 5years and this year it went up for £1.

I don't mind about the council tax as we have to pay for educating the next lot of kids so that there will be sufficient nurses etc when we need them. I get a discount because I live alone but would be happy to trade that in for Mr Poldark's company.or any other super hero.or just a bloke with a sense of humour and a driving licence

Elderly people do not spend their savings because they are keeping them to see them through any 'rainy day' they might have . Except that when a rainy day occurs they do not spend it in case they have another rainy day and their money is gone.

When I worked with older people sorting benefits and other problems out I was faced with this problem so often. One client I had was an elderly lady in a house that needed major repairs and with savings that were high enough to preclude her from income benefits.

I gently pointed out that if she used some of her funds on repairing the house, which would make life so much more comfortable for her, her savings would drop to a point where she would qualify for the income benefits she needed. Would she? Of course not, in case something happened and she needed that extra money - and she was one of many similar cases I dealt with.

I wish people wouldn't use disabled people to make a point, especially when they don't check their facts. They are lucky if they get their basic needs nowadays.

This is what my local council states about council tax exemptions...

People with Disabilities
If you, or someone who lives with you, need a room, or an extra bathroom or kitchen, or extra space in your property to meet special needs arising from a disability, you may be entitled to a reduced council tax bill.

The bill may be reduced to that of a property in the band immediately below yours. These reductions ensure that disabled people do not pay more tax on account of space needed because of a disability.

For example, if your home is in Band 'A' your bill will be calculated on a 5/9 fraction instead of 6/9.

Other discounts

In addition, certain adults are not counted - they are 'disregarded'. If after 'disregarding' these people, only one adult is counted in your home, you will also get a 25% discount. If after disregarding these people, there are no persons over the age of eighteen then you will get a 50% discount.
What types of people can be disregarded?

The following are groups of people who are not counted for council tax purposes:

18 year olds for whom Child Benefit is payable
Those under 20 who leave full-time education between 1 May and 31 October inclusive

People who are severely mentally impaired (a qualifying benefit such as Attendance Allowance or the middle or high level of the care component of the Disability Living Allowance must be in payment)
People living and being looked after in hospitals and residential care homes
Certain Carers and Care Workers (a qualifying benefit must be in payment such as Attendance Allowance or the highest or middle rate of the care component of the Disability Living Allowance. The person requiring care should not be a spouse partner or child under the age of eighteen, and be cared for at least 35 hours a week on average)

People staying in certain hostels or night shelters
People in prison or bail hostel

Members of religious communities in certain cases

USAF personnel and their non-UK dependents
Members (and dependants) of visiting forces
Persons with diplomatic privilege or immunity

Most full time Students (including DipHe in nursing) The Student must be required to attend the course for periods of at least 24 weeks in the year and be required to study for at least 21 hours per week, on average, when in attendance. Non-British spouses of students are also disregarded provided they do not have recourse to public funds and are prevented from taking paid employment
Hospital based Student Nurses
Youth Trainees aged under 25.
Apprentices training for a NVQ qualification and earning less than £195 per week

I'm not sure if those discounts are statutory or just my council. It's curious that only people with mental impairment are disregarded for council tax purposes.

If you are on basic state pension you should get a reduction in Council tax. You have to specifically let them know your circumstances. It is not automatic. It is worth checking. With most Councils you can deal with it by emailing them. If you have other income or high savings you may not get it or not the full amount. You have to pay something but it is worth checking.

Despite being of pensionable age we still more or less use everything encompassed by Council Tax. So no reason to be entitled to a reduction.

I don't earn enough to pay income tax, but there's quite a big gap between the threshold for any benefits and the level at which one starts paying tax, so I'm not sure how you're just above the level for claiming credit.

I've been told that I can't tick the box for Gift Aid.

This is a bit like recycling the myth I've often heard from young people that no-one pays income tax after they retire!
My income isn't much above the level for claiming credit but while it is and as long as it's enough to pay income tax then I'll do so without too much grumbling.
Likewise CT - at 75 % as I live alone.
Can anyone tell me about gift aid?
When the time comes that someone no longer pays income tax would the application of gift aid be removed altogether?
We've had several threads about young peoples' sense of entitlement. Many older people moan too much about their rights, dues and entitlements.

My son is disabled & only gets the single person reduction that everyone else gets. My mum had dementia, this wasn't mentioned as an exemption on the council website & once I found out I claimed it all back & got a cheque for 3K. I don't think she paid it at all after that as I recall.

I agree with you. I invited Age UK to do an assessment and talk to her about what was available and my mother was quite rude to the lady. She didn't actually say it, but I know she wanted to say, "I don't need any help". When the assessment had been done, she turned round to me and said, "I told you I didn't need any help". By this time, I'd lost the will to fight.

It must be an age thing! theres quite a few older people (75 plus) that I know that are offered the help but wont take it and so they continue struggling! Older people just wont spend their money even though they can afford it, which I dont understand because they cant take it with them.

Been there, done that. I think it's up to the local council. Hers has drawn the line at the same level as pension credit. She could find a place in private supported housing, but she can't/won't pay for it. She's been assessed, but been turned down for attendance allowance. To be honest, it's partly because she thinks there's a stigma attached to getting benefits and she won't be honest about her problems. The council does provide some home help/care, but she'd have to pay for it and she won't. The situation (and she) drive me bonkers. On the one hand she moans that she doesn't get any help (which puts pressure on me); on the other hand she won't apply for it. If it were automatic and she didn't have to 'go on the social' (as she sees it) there would be no problem.

daphne, pension credit has nothing to do with getting supported housing, Im on no benefits what so ever and moved into supported housing 2 years ago.
Your local social services should be able to point you in the right direction to assist in getting your mum assessed as to her needs for the right care she needs.

@ Blue Belle

I don't really know how the NHS Low Income Scheme works. I know I have an exception certificate, which entitles me to free dentistry and a voucher for specs. As I'm over 60 and diabetic, I don't pay for prescriptions anyway.

'Low income' is income under about £16,000 and under £10,000 (I think) in savings. If you only have the state pension and a small occupational pension, maybe you qualify. You can download a Form HC1 and read the eligibility criteria.

Ah! I see what you mean. The trouble with that is that you get a cliff edge effect. For example, my mother's income is £1 (yes, £1!!) above the limit for pension credit. She desperately needs help with care needs and has been turned down for council supported housing as a result of not receiving pension credit.

I know I won't be eligible for pension credit, but I will need help with housing costs, because I rent and won't be able to carry on working for ever. I shall be mighty miffed, if people receiving pension credit end up with more in freebies than me.

I dont think there should be a council tax reduction just because your retired, we still use the facilities like everyone else.

Not everyone abuses the blue badge system! there are illnesses that you cant see, the said person may look ok but still suffers a debilitating illness! ( I am one) you cant judge people just by looking at them. The comment regarding the blind person sitting in the car whilst the carer goes in the store to shop, for all you know they could have been to the doctors or hospital and that person didnt feel up to going into the store so the carer is doing the blind persons shopping. One question springs to mind though, how did you know the person was blind?

Daphne my point is that lots of pensioners don't need free prescriptions, winter fuel allowance, eye checks but those benefits could be targeted at the ones who get pension credit - just like free dentistry is targeted.