24 January 2024 , 09:59
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A fan of Martin Lewis has explained how they helped their mum get a council tax refund worth £4,000.
In a social media post shared on the Martin Lewis Money Show on ITV last night, the viewer, known only as John, also revealed how his mum won’t have to pay council tax going forward. He discovered she was eligible for a severe mental impairment (SMI) discount after watching a previous episode of the Martin Lewis Money Show.
MoneySavingExpert.com says this discount is worth 25% off “at a minimum” but in some cases, like with John, the entire bill can be wiped. His message reads: “Got over £4,000 back for my mum’s council tax because of severe mental impairment and no more council tax from now on. Thank you (and to my wife for watching the programme).”
There isn’t a list of conditions as such that mean you qualify for the SMI discount, but it can include Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. People with severe learning difficulties, multiple sclerosis or those who have had a stroke may also be eligible. A doctor must also certify that the person is “severely mentally impaired” to get the discount.
The person must also be receiving certain benefits, including Incapacity Benefit, Attendance Allowance, Severe Disablement Allowance, or Universal Credit if you live in England and Wales. You can find a full list of benefits on the MSE website.
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Have you managed to get council tax refund worth £1,000s? Let us know: [email protected]
To claim the discount, you will need to contact your local council - and check whether your claim can be backdated, although this isn’t a legal requirement. Martin said: “Anyone out there who knows someone with severe dementia, Alzheimer’s, severe stroke or Parkinson’s, you may be entitled to the severe mental impairment discount. It is under-talked about.
“Not enough people know about it. It’s huge and it affects hundreds of thousands of people. It’s well worth knowing about. Thank you, John, for inspiring people.”
There are plenty of other reasons why you could be entitled to a council tax discount. For example, if you live on your own then you could get 25% off - and the same goes if there is one adult living with someone else who is "disregarded".
This could be one student and one adult living together, or a live-in carer who looks after someone with a disability. Check the Citizens Advice website for a full list of people who are “disregarded”. You could get 50% off your council tax bill if everyone is your home is “disregarded” from this bill.