Martin Lewis has highlighted a potential discount for individuals battling severe conditions such as dementia, severe Parkinson’s, or those who’ve suffered from strokes or brain injuries. It could even mean they’re eligible for a 100% reduction on their council tax bill.
Martin Lewis clarified which conditions were eligible for the scheme: “A severe mental impairment – horrible term, not mine – is defined as [impact on] intelligence and social functioning which appears to be permanent. To qualify it must be medically certified, you need a doctor to sign this.”
“It is common with severe dementia, strokes, severe Parkinson’s, brain injuries or other conditions. Those are the type of condition that will get an SMI.” Martin added: “To claim it, that person must also be on a qualifying benefit. In Scotland, they must be eligible for a qualifying benefit even if they’re not actually claiming.
“That includes Attendance Allowance – in itself, massively underclaimed – if you need help during the day or the night you need that one too. Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payments (PIP), Severe Disablement Allowance and in some cases Universal Credit.
“So, really big, and if you know someone in that situation who can’t claim for themselves. A common one is someone with an SMI is living with their partner, so the 25 per cent discount is the most probable one there.”
Money Saving Expert, which was founded by Martin Lewis, has a guide that explains how to claim the ‘severely mentally impaired’ Council Tax discount, which goes further into detailing who is eligible, the discounts available, and how to claim it.
Those who might be eligible for the discount should also check with their local council about the discounts available. Claimants may need to provide details such as a doctor’s note and proof of the benefits they’re claiming.
According to Martin’s guide, the discount is based on how many qualifying adults live in the household. Someone with a severe mental impairment who lives alone could be eligible for a 100% discount, meaning their council tax bill will be £0.
Another useful source of information is the Gov.UK website, which has a guide to council tax reductions for disabled people. Disabled people who don’t qualify for the severe mental impairment discount may be able to claim for the Disabled Band Reduction Scheme. This scheme applies to people who live in a bigger house than they’d normally need, for example to accommodate a wheelchair, and can mean your property is put in a lower band for cheaper council tax.