Council tax reduction if you have Mentally ill person in household..

I saw it also biker and I did not realise that one can get a reduction. I must tell my neighbour. Parkinsons and MS were mentioned.

I saw the programme, they have kept that very quiet. Will pass the info on.

I saw the programme, they have kept that very quiet. Will pass the info on.

My mum has sent for the forms etc so we will see....as my dad has PD

it's not so much mental illness as mental incapacity. e.g. if a person can not understand what a tax is, they should not be obliged to pay it.
It is a bit contentious because sometimes a person's relatives will claim that for instance if someone has had a stroke and has difficulty speaking, they should be exempt from paying Council Tax, but the person affected does not want to be labelled as mentally incapacitated.
You also need a doctor to confirm the persons impairment.

It should be clearly explained either on your CT bill or the leaflet that comes with your bill, together with information on how to obtain an application form

They always keep things like this quiet. They only need a tick box on the form asking about mental illness but that would make it too easy for people to claim and that's the last thing they want.

I was aware you could claim discount for someone with alzheimers (mum got it) but not the other conditions. I must do some reaserch.

If there are two of you living in the house and one of you has a diagnosis of a Severe Mental Impairment then they can be discounted for Council Tax which usually means a reduction of 25%. A sole occupier with a diagnosed mental impairment would be exempt from paying council tax.

Lots of Council employees haven't heard of it or deny it exists but I think that is down to poor training rather than a deliberate policy of misleading to save money.

The forms have to be signed by a GP who might try to charge you for doing so but isn't allowed to either. GPs don't seem to have been told that either.

I think if there are more than 2 adults living in the house that the exemption wouldn't count but would be worth checking.

It is always a good idea to get a Benefits Check done by Social Services or someone like Age Uk or Alzheimers Society.

Can I just reiterate that it is not mental illness, but permanent mental impairment.

IT depends on the benefits you are already claiming, if you aren't claiming anything, then it may be worth calling your local Benefits maximisation team for a chat. They can arrange for somebody to come out and see you, but they will need to know the income (from pensions and private pensions) and will ask about any savings you have. I am waiting for them to come and see my own parents, and was asked various questions over the phone, before they arranged for me to be contacted direct.

My brother claimed this for my mother, who had Alzheimer's and was still living alone at the time. We had power of attorney and he specifically told the council NOT to send the letter to my mother, but to him, since (as so often) she was not aware that there was anything wrong with her, and would be incandescent at any suggestion that she was 'mentally impaired'.

They ignored him, and she was! Luckily I was staying at the time, and was able to pacify her by saying it was the useless council, they must have muddled her up with someone else - I would sort it out.