THE possibility of terminally ill people being exempted from paying their council tax is due to be raised at a meeting in Carlisle next week.
Members of Cumberland Council are due to meet at the city’s Civic Centre on Tuesday (September 8) where Cllr Jeanette Whalen (Yewdale, Labour) will get the chance to quiz Cllr Barbara Cannon (St Michaels, Labour) who is the financial planning and assets portfolio holder.
She will ask: “Recently, in the News & Star, a report on the issue of terminal illness and council tax was raised. The resident Cynthia D’Souza, who brought up this issue, lives in my ward.
“A terminal diagnosis brings immense emotional, physical and financial challenges, not only for the individual concerned but also for their family, friends and carers.
“During what may be the final months of a person’s life, navigating complex benefit and support systems can create unnecessary distress at a time when compassion and simplicity should be paramount.”
She will say that she was made aware of cases where individuals who have worked throughout their adult lives, paying National Insurance contributions and contributing to workplace pensions, receive a terminal diagnosis before reaching state pension age.
And she will add: “As a result, they may never receive the state pension they spent decades contributing towards, and yet they can still be required to pay full council tax despite having an SR1 medical report confirming a terminal illness and a limited life expectancy.
“While some council tax reductions and exemptions exist, these are not specifically designed to support all terminally ill residents and access can be inconsistent.
“At present there is no national statutory exemption from council tax for people diagnosed as terminally ill. However, local authorities have discretionary powers under Section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 to provide additional reductions where they consider it appropriate.”
Cllr Whalen will observe that nearly 30 local authorities, including Manchester, Liverpool, Gateshead, Preston, Barnsley, Bristol, Cheshire West and Chester, have used these discretionary powers to introduce a 100 per cent council tax discount for residents with a form signed by an appropriate medical professional.
She will add: “This approach provides straightforward and compassionate support without requiring seriously ill residents to navigate lengthy application processes.
“Will Cumberland Council commit to reviewing and adopting, for the 2027/28 financial year, a 100 per cent council tax exemption for terminally ill residents who have been issued with an SR1 medical report, and if not, will the executive member explain why Cumberland Council believes such support should not be made available to some of our most vulnerable residents at the end of their lives?”
When the issue was first raised council chiefs confirmed they were considering changes to taxation follow Ms D’Souza’s campaign to spare people with a terminal illness from council tax worries.
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