UK: Council Tax and potential discounts

I was reading an interview with Martin Lewis (the Money Saving Expert) and he highlighted a council tax discount that might be useful for pwME (dependent on your circumstances).

"Discounts for severely mentally impaired people

You might be able to apply for a discount on your Council Tax bill if you or someone you live with is severely mentally impaired.

You’ll need to:

• get a certificate to say you’re severely mentally impaired from a medical professional, such as your GP
• prove your eligibility for certain benefits - check with your local council

What you’ll get

You’ll get a 100% discount if you qualify as severely mentally impaired and one of the following applies:

• you live on your own
• the only other person you live with is a carer (and they’re not your partner, spouse or child under 18)
• any other adults in your household either qualify as severely mentally impaired or are full-time students

You’ll get a 25% discount if you live with someone who qualifies as severely mentally impaired and either:

• there are no other adults in your household
• everyone else in your home is ‘disregarded’"

https://www.gov.uk/council-tax/discounts-for-disabled-people

Obviously a lot will depend on your chances of getting the certificate of being severely mentally impaired (i.e. how much brain fog and other cognitive issues affect you and your relationship with your GP) but if it helps one person it will be worth me having posted this.

 

I wonder how many GPs will just decline to engage with the issue. For example my GP practice refuses to engage in any way with PIP applications, though hopefully they might see this as a less complicated issue.

 

Sadly all too many, but I do see some people say that they have a good relationship with their GP, and that their GP is willing to support them with such things.

 

I only know about Scotland, sorry to the other UK nations. But there are a couple of other ways you can get a council tax discount if you have a disability, low income, or second adult who's not a partner.

CAB explain it better than i ever could here: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/s...eduction/can-you-get-council-tax-reduction-s/

Hope this helps someone. x