You may not realise that you could be fully exempt from paying this monthly bill.
According to the Government, individuals with specific health conditions may be eligible for an exemption from paying a particular monthly bill. Those with severe mental impairments are not required to pay council tax.
Council tax, which is set by local authorities, funds services such as waste collection and road maintenance. The amount you pay depends on your home’s valuation band and the council area where you live.
Certain individuals are exempt from council tax and are not included when calculating the number of residents in a property. As stated on GOV.UK: “A full council tax bill is based on at least two adults living in a home.
“Couples who live together are jointly responsible for paying the bill. Some people are not counted (‘disregarded’) when working out how many people live in a property. This means you might be able to apply for a discount on your council tax bill if you get one.”
As reported by The Mirror, if you have a severe mental impairment (SMI), you will be disregarded from paying council tax. The following conditions are classified as SMI:
However, GOV.UK warns that “Although the above is a list of conditions that are classed as part of SMI, a person will need a doctor’s diagnosis to be able to apply for the council tax discount.” To apply for this exemption, you’ll need to obtain a medical certificate stating you are severely mentally impaired from a professional, such as your GP, and prove your eligibility for specific benefits by checking with your local council.
If you are severely mentally impaired and either live alone or with other adults who are also severely mentally impaired or full-time students, you qualify for a 100 per cent discount. A 50 per cent discount is available if all other household members are “disregarded”.
Those disregarded from paying council tax include:
Additionally, if you or a household member is disabled and lives in a larger property than needed due to the disability, you may qualify for a reduction. If eligible, your bill will be reduced to the next lowest council tax band unless your home is already in the lowest band (band A) – in which case you’ll receive a 17 per cent discount on your council tax bill instead.
To qualify, you must demonstrate that you have either an additional bathroom, kitchen or other room necessary for the disabled person, or extra space within the property for wheelchair use.
Before reviewing your council tax, you’ll need to know three things: the valuation band of your home in England and Wales or in Scotland, the amount your local council charges for that band, and whether you qualify for a discount or exemption from the full bill.
If you believe your home has been incorrectly valued, you can challenge your council tax band. For more information, visit gov.uk/apply-for-council-tax-discount..