Do You Have To Pay Council Tax When You’re Over 80 years?
By
HuutiMoney
This blog answers the question “Do You Have To Pay Council Tax When You’re Over 80 Years? It states that the income and savings requirements for tax reduction must be met for discounts to pension-age homeowners or taxpayers.The Second Adult Rebate helps the pensioner to bear the council tax burden of cohabitants with little or no income such as students.
Do You Have To Pay Council Tax When You’re Over 80 Years?
Yes, you still are eligible to pay Council Tax beyond the age of 80 years as there is no exemption based on age. Citizens aged over 80 who own a residence are billed for council tax just like they have been before reaching this milestone. Pensioners get help in paying their council tax from benefits like Guaranteed Pension Credit which provides a 100% (maximum) reduction in the bill.
This reduction in council tax under the State Pension Credit scheme varies from person to person. Not everyone will be eligible to claim a complete (100%) reduction due to charges on the number of non-dependants living with them, their savings (if any), and their income. All of these details affect the disbursement of council tax support and therefore the overall reduction granted on your bill.
Council tax discounts like the Single Person Allowance need to be taken off (deducted) from your bill before your reduction in council tax (for being a pensioner) is calculated under State Pension Credit or Guaranteed Pension Credit.
If you or your partner have savings or capital exceeding £16,000, the only old age council tax support scheme you can get (to reduce your bill) is Guaranteed Pension Credit.
In order to be over the age of 80 years and qualify for Council Tax Support you must not be receiving any of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit
If you (or your partner) are on any of these benefits mentioned above, council tax will treat you as working age and therefore ineligible for claiming State Pension Credit
As is the case with having savings of over £16000, if you are over the age of 80 and are getting any of these four benefits the only form of pension support you can claim is Guaranteed Pension Credit.
What is the Second Adult Rebate?
The Second Adult Rebate is a pension age tax support initiative that is calculated based on the number of other adults with little or no income, living on your property. These “second adults” can be a partner, a joint owner or tenant, or someone who pays the rent for staying on your property.
The Second Adult Rebate tax discount may also be awarded to pension age claimants if their own income is considered too high for receiving council tax support such as State Pension Credit.
The Second Adult Rebate has 2 types:
- The Ordinary Second Adult Rebate, which is a 25% discount on your tax bill
- The Student Second Adult Rebate, applies to pension-age students living with “Second Adults” on a low income.
These Second Adults must be getting one of the following benefits for the pension age student to qualify for this tax reduction. The Income Based Jobseekers Allowance, Income Related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit, and Income Support.
In the Student Second Adult Rebate, the recipient can get a 100% council tax reduction
Why do Pensioners or people over 80 get so much priority-level council tax support?
Pensioners or pension age tax reduction claimants get priority level tax support because they usually don’t have the means (income or savings) to pay their council tax bill in full and might also be living with people on low levels of income.
So through support programs like Guaranteed Pension Credit, Saving Credit, State Pension Credit, and the Second Adult Rebate, taxpayers over the age of 80 years are granted ample support to make their council tax payments
As being 80 years and above puts a person well beyond the minimum pension age of 60-68, the government makes sure that these property owners (with low levels of income and savings) are able to cover the shortfall in their monthly bill payment,
How can I calculate my Pension Credit amount and apply for State Pension Credit?
You can calculate your pension credit amount by using this online calculator You will need to enter your earnings information, saving and investment details and benefit and pension amounts to compute the final value/
You can apply for State Pension Credit online here or by telephone on the Pension Credit Claim line 0800 99 1234 (from Monday to Friday 8 am to 6 pm)
You can also apply by post by downloading, printing out a copy of, and filling this form given here After making sure that you have dated and signed your form, send it to:
The Pension Service 8
Post Handling Site B
Wolverhampton
WV99 1AN
Guaranteed Pension Credit
In order to qualify for getting Guaranteed Pension Credit your weekly income must be less than £182.60 (or must be less than £272.70 if you’re a couple) You can even claim Guaranteed Pension Credit if your weekly income exceeds this amount if:
- You have a severe disability
- You are a care provider
- You have to pay housing costs such as mortgage
Are there any joint benefits from the disability living allowance for my spouse or civil partner (also aged over 65)?
If you also qualify for Income Support, your spouse or common-law partner may be able to receive the Allowance if your spouse or common-law partner :
- is between the ages of 60 and 64
- is a British citizen
- Has lived in the UK for at least 10 years since the age of 18;
- your combined annual income is below the maximum annual income threshold for the Allowance.
You may be eligible to receive the Allowance for the survivor if you are
- you are between the ages of 60 and 64
- your spouse or common-law partner has died and you have not remarried or entered into a common-law relationship
- your annual income is below the maximum annual income threshold for the Allowance for the survivor.
Evidence is not considered in the medical assessment of the contributor’s ability to work.
Conclusion
This blog post answered the question “Do You Have To Pay Council Tax When You’re Over 80 Years?”Every owner of a property who is responsible for paying its council tax still pays it even after reaching the age of 80.
Unless the pension age taxpayer transfers the residence to someone else they will continue to be billed for its payment. State Pension Credit offers most pension-aged tax reduction claimants support covering their entire bill.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) : Do You Have To Pay Council Tax When You’re Over 80 Years?
What if I think my council tax reduction is wrong?
When any decision is made on your Council Tax Reduction claim, you will get a letter informing you about its details. So if you think this decision on your council tax reduction is wrong, you must contact your local council within one calendar month of the date on this letter (if you wait longer, council tax may not be able to consider your dispute)
You can either ask council tax for an explanation of your tax reduction calculation or you can ask them to reconsider the decision of awarding your reduction. If the decision can be changed, your council will send you a letter with the details of the amended tax reduction.
If your local council feels otherwise, that the decision cannot be changed, they will let you know the reasons for this refusal.
You can contact your local council (to enquire about your council tax reduction or to request a change in it) by writing to their email address or by telephone from Monday to Friday between 8 am and 6pm. You may also write a letter to your council’s postal address, such as this one for Sheffield Council:
1 Union Street,
Howden House,
Sheffield
S1 2SH
What is the Exceptional Hardship Payment benefit and how can I apply to get it?
If you are receiving council tax reduction but despite this your remaining council tax bill payments are causing you significant financial hardship, you can apply for this Exceptional Hardship Payment benefit. This benefit is only for short term financial problems and is not intended to be claimed indefinitely.
You need to inform your council as soon as your circumstances change and you are able to pay your full amount of council tax (with tax reduction incentives) The Exceptional Hardship Payment will be credited to your tax account to reduce the amount you owe
Each case is looked at individually and paid for different periods of time, so make sure you provide full and accurate proof of your current financial situation. You must be receiving Housing Benefit or the Housing Cost Element of Universal Credit to qualify for getting the Exceptional Hardship Payment Benefit and there must be a shortfall between your Housing Benefit and your rent that you cannot afford.
To complete the Exceptional Hardship Payment benefit form you will need your Benefit case reference number or your Council Tax account number or your National Insurance number.
To apply for the Exceptional Hardship Payment benefit in Sefton Council you can fill this form
Am I entitled to council tax benefits if the non dependant living with me is severely mentally disabled?
Yes, you can claim a council tax reduction if the non dependant (over 18 years of age) living with you is severely mentally disabled.
No deduction from your council tax support is made if the non dependant living with you is severely mentally disabled. The person being classified as severely mentally disabled must have a doctor’s certificate to prove their condition.
They must also qualify for receiving one of the following council tax benefits:
- Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance (the care component of this allowance)
- Incapacity Benefit
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment (the daily living component of this payment)
- Income Support (which includes a disability premium)
- Disability Working Allowance
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Unemployability Supplement or Allowance
The level of tax reduction granted for living with a severely mentally impaired person is 25% of your bill.