Disabled Persons Rate Relief

HC Deb 20 July 1989 vol 157 c343W

Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement on the future of disabled persons rate relief;

(2) what consideration he has given to the payment of compensation to those disabled people who will no longer receive rate relief with the introduction of the community charge in April 1990.

Mr. Gummer

The present relief reduces the rateable value of a house to what it would have been if no adaptations or improvements were carried out by a disabled householder to accommodate their disability. Without this adjustment some disabled persons would have been required to pay more in rates because of their disability. No such adjustment is needed under the community charge arrangements because the charge is no longer related to the nature of the property. However, we have structured the community charge rebate system to target help to those who need it and this ensures that disabled people with limited means receive help towards paying their community charge.