§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of eligible people who are currently claiming the carer's discount for council tax bills. [4297]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThe Department has not made such an estimate. Local authorities are under a duty to ensure that discounts are granted to the right households.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps his Department has taken to ensure that eligible people on(a) disability living allowance and (b) the higher rate of 484W attendance allowance are aware of their entitlement to (i) the carer's discount for council tax bills and (ii) the facility to backdate claims to April 1993. [4307]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThe council tax regulations require local authorities to include with council tax bills information on the circumstances when a bill may be subject to discount. Local authorities are also under a duty to make sure that discounts are being granted to the right households. If somebody is entitled to a discount but has not received one, local authorities must backdate the discount to the date when entitlement first arose. The Department has also produced a leaflet "Council Tax: A Guide to your Bill" which explains the council tax and the circumstances when a carer may be disregarded for the purposes of a discount. The leaflet is made available to the general public and has been distributed to local authorities and voluntary organisations.