State pensioners are being urged to check whether they qualify for council tax discounts that could reduce their bill to zero, with the average band D property costing £2,300 a year. Retirees paying council tax may not realise they can get 25 per cent or more off their bill, according to financial journalist Martin Lewis.
Martin Lewis answers carer's council tax question
The question came in for Lewis on his latest podcast, from someone who lives with their dad and is a carer for him. The person receives Carer's Allowance while the dad is on Attendance Allowance, a non-means-tested benefit available to people of state pension age if they need someone else's help to look after them. The person wanted to know if they could get a council tax reduction given their situation.
Lewis, 54, said they may well qualify for some discounts. He said: "If there's only the two of you in the household, I would think you're entitled to at least a 25 per cent discount if your father has a severe mental impairment."
"Now, the fact he gets Attendance Allowance signifies to me there's quite a chance he would be due a severe mental impairment (SMI) discount," Lewis added.
How to qualify for the severe mental impairment discount
Lewis explained: "It is about a doctor certifying that you have a severe mental impairment that affects someone's social functioning." He noted that getting Attendance Allowance alone does not automatically mean an SMI discount — a doctor must sign off the condition.
"So if a doctor will sign that off—'cause just getting Attendance Allowance doesn't mean you get SMI, you need it to be signed as an SMI—well, then you're certainly entitled to a 25 per cent discount and possibly entitled to a 50 per cent discount if you're a carer in the right circumstances," he said.
Discount rates and qualifying conditions
A range of conditions can qualify for the severe mental impairment discount, including dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, severe learning difficulties, or complications from cerebral palsy or a stroke. To get the discount, you must be certified by a doctor as having a severe mental impairment.
You can get a 100 per cent discount on your council tax bill if you live on your own, or if any other adults in your household either qualify as severely mentally impaired or are full-time students. A 50 per cent discount is available if everyone else in your household is classed as 'disregarded' for council tax purposes.
