single persons council tax reduction

lesleyDan · October 2018

Hi everyone, I live in rented accommodation and I was permitted to take a 2 bed property as my son cares for me. He works full time, so its mostly overnight care, and family and friends cover as and when needed in the daytime.
I was told that a carer was disregarded and I would still be eligible for single person discount, but the very unhelpful staff, are refusing to allow it unless i give them details of where my son lives. Ive explained that at the moment he stays with friends when he's not at work and not here. They've said they want addresses of his friends, information that im not prepared to give out, so they're now saying if his post comes to my address that is enough to suggest that he lives with me, so they wont give me my discount. They were really obstructive and antagonistic which i found rude and stressful. Please can anyone advise me? sorry for such a long post. Thank you.

Ami2301 · October 2018

Hi @lesleyDan welcome to the community!

Sorry to hear what has happened. There are very knowledgeable members in the community who will be in contact with you soon to advise. Hope ev
erything works out for you!

Do let us know if we can be of any further assistance!

lesleyDan · October 2018

Hi@Ami2301
Thanks so much for replying, I'm sure I dont have to tell anyone in this community how difficult it can be to not only get accurate advice from the benefit agencies, but to be treated with respect and at least some basic compassion for a fellow human being, I'm trying to deal with so many different things that I feel like I'm going to explode or implode, very messy either way

I explain that i have a number of chronic medical conditions, and that stress can have a potentially serious impact on one of my conditions in particular, this falls on deaf ears and im finding the relentless fighting for every single thing, is really taking its toll. No one listens, not properly, and I sometimes wonder why i bother speaking at all, and as mad as it may sound, I really have thought, ok, I'm just not going to speak anymore. Sorry for the rant, limited resources in the having someone to vent to dept lol

Ami2301 · October 2018

No need to apologise, we are here to listen and help you the best we can!

poppy123456 · October 2018

Hi,

Unfortunately, you do have to give them the details they are asking for because you're asking for the reduction in your benefit, If you don't give them the full details then you can't expect the benefit reduction. You can't be given the single person's discount in your council tax reduction if your son lives with you permanently and this is why they're asking for all the details.

lesleyDan · October 2018

Hi@poppy123456
Thank you for replying. I thought if you had a carer overnight or otherwise, they were automatically disregarded where the single person discount is concerned.
My son takes care of me, he doesnt get paid for it, he works full time and he also has a child. He works for the nhs, and his pay packet reflects this, he cant afford to rent a property that would be empty all day while he's at work, and empty when he has to give me overnight care, hence he's sofa surfing, which is also why his mail comes to my home.
He's not eligible for carers allowance, he works and pays his taxes, he's not being a drain on the benefits system, and he's giving up a lot to take care of me. He's a young guy, but it seems one or both of us are going to be penalised no matter what we do. If my carer wasnt my son, just a random person who I employed to do overnight care, would that person then either become responsible for paying some of my council tax, and would I also lose my single person discount? My son isnt receiving any payment from the goverment for taking care of me, so I really dont feel the benefits people/council have any right to demand any information about him at all. He works, he pays his taxes and national insurance, he's a dad and hes also good enough to look after me, isnt that enough.
This isnt directed at you personally, its my opinion on the whole nonsense that is our total mess of a benefit system.

lesleyDan · October 2018

I live in a property that has 4 apartments, one of my neighbours is a single professional, working in law, she receives mail for herself, and 3 other members of her family, who dont live here, the council tax dept will, im sure, have no knowledge of this, a single person discount will be allowed, and no-ones any the wiser. If, the council tax dept were aware of my neighbours mail situation, would the council automatically assume that the three other people receiving mail to the address were living in the property? I dont think so, its just another example of how poorly and unfairly, benefit recipients, the elderly, the sick and the most vulnerable members of our society are treated by a system that is so flawed it pushes people to desperation point.
There hasnt been one area within the benefits system where i (and millions of others) havent had to fight, appeal, be degraded, disrespected, intimidated and bullied. The resulting consequences of years of this tortuous procedure to claim a paltry amount that doesnt even bring most people up to poverty level, has had a devastating effect on my already battered body and mind, and I'm a strong, fairly intelligent person, but the last few years of relentless benefit changes, which are NEVER designed to make things better, but designed entirely to claw back money from areas where people have least control, least money, and least say in the matter. I for one, am utterly and totally sick of it.
*purely my opinions, and not directed at anyone in particular, just everyone in general*

I hope anyone who reads my post will understand.

poppy123456 · October 2018

Having just read the rules for discounts for carers, it maybe worth you reading this.

Scroll down to "discounts" In the meantime are you claiming mid/high rate care DLA or daily living PIP? AA at any rate?

https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/financial-support/help-with-household-finances/council-tax-rate-relief

lesleyDan · October 2018

Thank you@poppy123456 i'm on high rate care and mobility dla

newborn · October 2018

By coincidence, you are not alone facing what should be an unbelievable farce. One council has collected random names relating to ex-occupants and current occupants of four neighbouring properties. One current (very much single) resident in one property has been sent a terrifying letter threatening fines and prison, for apparent fraudulent claims to single discount, citing these names.

The council tax department appears to believe that the mere fact those names from the three neighbouring properties are known to the council must be enough to prove the whole lot of them must be living together in the fourth, crowding in with the singleton!! Their accusatory letter allows for only two responses..."this person no longer lives with me".... or "I never heard of this person". Neither statement is true. They are, or were, neighbours. They live, or lived, in their own addresses, not all together in one.

The victim is passively allowing the single discount to be removed, rather than battle such a steamroller.

single persons council tax reduction

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