Council Tax and Adult Social Care Financial Assessments Careers Rights Day 21 st November 2019 Striving for excellence www.enfield.gov.uk
Agenda • Council Tax – Discounts / Disregards /Exemptions – Disabled Relief – Council Tax Support – Council Tax Hardship • Adult Social Care Financial Assessments – Receiving Care at home Calculation including DRE
What is Council Tax? • Introduced in 1993 • 50% Property Tax and 50% Personal Tax • Applies to all domestic dwellings (property) • Charge payable dependent on band, number of people and type of people resident in a dwelling • Reductions available
Reductions • Discounts – Single Person Discount 25% – Job Related Discount 50% – Discount Disregards 25% (All residents disregarded 50%) • Exemptions (21 different types) • Disability Band Reduction • Council Tax Support • Council Tax Support Hardship
Discount Disregards • When determining the number of adults resident in a property, certain people are disregarded. The effect is the same as if that person were not resident. These are: – Persons in detention (prison or detained in custody) – Severely mentally impaired – Persons in respect of whom child benefit is payable – Students & Spouses (Non-British) of students – Hospital patients – Patients in homes in England, Wales & Scotland – Carers and Careworkers – Residents of hostels or night shelters for the homeless – Members of International HQs & Defence Organisations – Members of Religious Communities – School and college leavers – Members of Visiting forces – Diplomats – Apprentices & YTS
Discount disregards • When is it granted? • If there are more than 2 adults who don’t qualify to be disregarded then no discount applies • If all but one adult qualifies to be disregarded then a 25% discount applies • If all residents are disregarded, 50% discount applies
Example:
Severe Mental Impairment disregard criteria • Not all people who are severely mentally impaired can be disregarded. Examples of those who would qualify are people suffering from either: • a) A state of arrested or incomplete development of mind which causes severe impairment of intelligence and social functioning; or • b) an injury to the brain causing severe impairment of intelligence and social functioning which appears to be permanent;
• And • They must also receive one of the qualifying benefits, or be entitled to one of them • Their General or Medical Practitioner must confirm their condition. We will need permission from a relative or a guardian for the Council to approach the G.P. • We cannot disregard anyone under the age of 18
Carer disregard criteria • To be providing care for a person who is entitled to one of the following state benefits: i) A higher rate attendance allowance ii) The highest rate of the care component of a disability living allowance iii) The appropriately increased rate of disablement pension iv) An increase in a constant attendance allowance v) Standard or enhanced rate of the daily living component of the Personal Independence Payment
Must be • Resident in the same dwelling as the person to whom care is being provided • Providing care for at least 35 hours per week on average And: • Not a disqualified relative of the person being cared for. A disqualified relative is a person who is the spouse of the other or they live together as husband & wife, or the parent of the other who is a child below 18 years of age
Disabled Relief • A discount that is equal to reducing the charge by 1 band • Qualifying Person: “a person who is substantially and permanently disabled (whether by illness, injury, congenital deformity or otherwise)” * can be under the age of 18 • Property has either: – A room mainly used by & required for meeting the needs of the qualifying individual but NOT a bathroom, kitchen or lavatory or – An additional bathroom or kitchen required for meeting the needs of the qualifying individual; or – Sufficient floor space for the use of a wheelchair required for meeting the needs of the qualifying individual • Usually we visit the property
Useful information • These exemptions, disregards and disabled reductions can be backdated • All of the above reductions are calculated before the award of any Council Tax Support • Appeals – if you disagree with our decision, you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal www. valuationtribunal .gov.uk
Applying For Discounts and Disabled Relief • Visit our website https://new.enfield.gov.uk/services/council-tax/ • Call us on 020 8379 1000 • Email us at revs@enfield.gov.uk • If you need help we can a arrange a visit so that someone can help you.
Council Tax Support Information • Helps those on a low income pay Council Tax • Pensioners – Protection from The Minimum Payment • Working age – CTS Minimum payment 26.5% (reducing to 24.5% 20/21) unless protected: - War Widows - A Claimant or partner in receipt of Carers Allowance - A Claimant or partner in receipt of High Rate Disability Living Allowance (Mobility and Care component) or Enhanced Personal Independence Payments (Daily Living and Mobility Component) - A Claimant or partner in receipt of the support component of Employment and Support Allowance - A Claimant or partner who are Foster Carers and who were recruited and trained by Enfield Council - Single people under 25 years old (Picks up all care leavers)
Council Tax Support Information • Working age – 2 schemes depending on whether Universal Credit (UC) in payment • UC in payment - Full CTS (up to 73.5% if not protected and 100% if protected), where net earned income less than £1,265 per month (Less than £1,100 per month from 20/21) - No CTS where net earned income £1,265 or more per month (£1,100 or more per month from 20/21) • UC not in payment - Based on old Council Tax benefit calculation with local scheme changes (Calculation Taper change from 20% to 22.5% from 20/21)
Council Tax Hardship Payment • Criteria for claiming – Council Tax Support (CTS) is in payment but CTS doesn’t cover the full charge • When awarded – If claimant unable to pay the council tax due to severe financial hardship and taking steps to find a resolution • How claimed – On line through link https://new.enfield.gov.uk/services/benefits/discretionary- payments/#cth – Also considered when a claim for Discretionary Housing Payment is made to help pay rent after Housing Benefit or Universal Credit housing costs awarded
Applying for Council Tax Support and Council Tax Support Hardship: • Visit our website https://new.enfield.gov.uk/services/benefits/ – Claims for Council Tax Support and Council Tax Support Hardship are made on line. You will be directed to sign up to Enfield Connected • If you need advice – Call us on 020 8379 1000 – Email us at revs@enfield.gov.uk
Questions?
Adult Social Care Financial Assessments • If you are eligible for help from the Council , you may need to pay towards your care . • The Adult Social Care Financial Assessment Team will work out how much you will need to contribute. • This is called a financial assessment • Here’s how to work out what you will contribute
• 1 - we work out your ‘ Assessable Income’. • This is most likely benefits , including; – Income Support (IS), – Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), – Universal Credit (UC), – Care Component of DLA, – Attendance Allowance, – Daily Living Component of PIP,
• Some people may also get these benefits – Pension Credit (PC), – Carers Allowance, – Jobseekers Allowance, – Bereavement Allowance, – State Pension
• Some benefits are not included in your Assessable Income – Mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) / Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and mobility supplement of war pensions, – Disabled Facilities Grant payments, – £28.95 if in receipt of high rate of Attendance Allowance and not having night care provided through your personal budget
• Some benefits are not included in your Assessable Income – Earnings from employment / Statutory Sick Pay, – Pension Savings Credit, – Child Benefit / Child Tax Credits, – the first £10 per week of War Widows and War Widowers pension, – Civilian War Injury pension
• If you have ‘Assets’ (Savings) this might count towards your assessable income ; • If you have over £23,250 you pay for all of your care. • We calculate £1 a week income for every £23,250 £250 held above £14,250 . • Asset less than £14,250 do not count . £14,250 • (Owning a house you live in does not count as an ‘asset’ – If you own a second property you’ll be considered as having over £23,250 )
• We add all the these things up and that gives your ‘Assessable Income’.
2. We work out your ‘Minimum Income Guarantee’ • Every Year the Government publishes guidelines on the ‘Minimum Income Guarantee’ ( MIG ) • After you pay your Care Charges, you MUST have at least this much left • It depends on things like your age and the benefits you get • Enfield allows a little more than the government guidelines. • In the new Care Charging Booklet you will be able to look up your own MIG .
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