If you live with someone who has a severe mental impairment, you can apply for a discount on your Council Tax.
If you have a severe mental impairment yourself and live alone, you can apply for an exemption so you do not have to pay Council Tax.
If you are a student who lives with an impaired person, or owns a property occupied only by an impaired person, the property is exempt.
Who can apply
To apply, you must:
- have a certificate from a doctor confirming a severe mental impairment.
- be entitled to a qualifying benefit
Qualifying benefits
Employment and Support Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance only.
Universal Credit
Must include an amount due to limited capability for work or work-related activity.
Incapacity Benefit
Including short term, long term, and long term for widows and widowers types of Incapacity Benefit.
Attendance Allowance
May be paid at lower or higher rate.
Severe Disablement Allowance
May be included as part of Income Support.
Disability Living Allowance
Must include Care Component at the middle or higher rate.
Disablement Pension
Must include an increase for constant attendance.
Disability Working Allowance
But only if entitlement is because of prior receipt of Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance. Or where the customer received a disability premium with their Income Support because of incapacity for work.
Unemployability Supplement or Unemployability Allowance
You may receive this under the Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes.
Constant Attendance Allowance
You may receive this under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes.
This is an additional allowance paid as an increase in the rate of benefit. It can be identified from award letters, for example a War Pension breakdown.
Income Support
Must include Disability Premium because of incapacity for work. It can be identified from award letters or the rate of benefit in an order book.
Retirement Pension
Where the person concerned would have qualified for one of the above except that they are over pensionable age.
Partner's Job Seekers Allowance
Where the person concerned is the partner of someone who receives income-based Job Seekers Allowance and this includes a disability or higher pensioner premium because they are either:
- on long term Incapacity Benefit
- were either getting long term Incapacity Benefit before they reached pensionable age and are still alive, or are entitled to Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance, but this is suspended as they are in hospital
How to apply
If you have moved to Camden from another council and already have a doctor's certificate, email a photocopy to [email protected] to apply.
If this is your first claim for a severe mental impairment discount or exemption, fill in our online form.
You will need
- proof of the person's benefit entitlement
- a doctor's certificate confirming severe mental impairment
Apply for a discount or exemption