Council tax reduction: Man unable to claim discount despite illness and chemotherapy | Personal Finance | Finance
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Mark, who asked to remain anonymous, has revealed he was unable to claim a council tax reduction for him and his partner despite having no income coming in. Having had two bilateral hip replacements and currently going through a round of chemotherapy, he has been unable to work and get a steady income. As well as being his carer, Mark’s partner suffers from Crohn’s disease so is also not able to be employed at this moment in time.
Through the council tax reduction, households could be eligible for as much as 50 percent off their bill.
For someone not working and close to the stage pension age, this would be a great deal of support for Mark and his partner.
On his situation, he explained: “I applied quite a while ago when I was dismissed from the NHS after having both my hips replaced. There was no income so I applied.
“In the meantime, I got a part time job working for agencies. You can appreciate being 64 years old, it’s difficult to find another job at that age.
READ MORE: Council tax reductions explained: Who is eligible to pay less and how to claim
“That November, I was diagnosed with throat cancer so I wasn’t able to continue working for agencies.
“I’m still waiting to see whether the treatments have been successful. But again, I applied to the council for a reduction in the tax.
“After a long and drawn out process asking certain questions, the final question was, ‘How much have you got in savings?’.”
“Apparently, if you’ve got more than £10,000 in savings you’re not eligible for any reduction in your council tax.”
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When it comes to tax, some people are not counted when determining how many people live in a property.
These individuals are referred to as “disregarded people” and include students, diplomats, apprentices and carers.
However, if everyone in the household comes under the “disregarded people” banner, the property will receive a 50 percent discount.
Express.co.uk has contacted Mark’s local council asking for comment.
