Angela Rayner has been urged to help people get the tax discounts they are entitled to (Image: Getty)
LABOUR is accused of turning its back on dementia sufferers instead of helping them pay less tax.
There is deep concern that people with a range of impairments are failing to benefit from council tax discounts because these are not effectively publicised.
, the deputy leader of the Labour party, was asked if she would advertise her department’s “plain English” guidance on paying the right level of tax.
But a minister said the Government does “not have any plans to launch a publicity campaign”.
Martin Lewis – the widely respected “money saving expert” has described the discount for people with a “severe mental impairment” as “under-publicised” and “under-known about”.
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Ahead of the election, Labour leader Sir said that “councils should be doing all they can to ensure people entitled to council tax discounts can get them” and pledged to “work with local leaders to ensure they can do this”.
Kevin Hollinrake, the Shadow Local Government Secretary, said: “Vulnerable people with dementia and other conditions deserve their council tax exemptions and discounts. Whilst in Government, we published a free guide on how people can get discounts and exemptions to cut their bills.
“It is shocking that the Labour Government and are not going to support people with dementia to get the council tax exemption they deserve. Just like the winter fuel payments, Labour are cruelly not supporting those who need support the most.”
Under the rules, if a property is only occupied by people who are classed as severely mentally impaired it will be exempt from council tax.
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If someone has such an impairment and shares a home with one person who would normally have to pay the tax, a “single person discount” will be applied to the bill.
A Government source said it was “simply not true to say the Government does not support people with dementia”.
A spokeswoman said: “There has been no change in policy or approach. We continue to publish a free guide which sets out the council tax exemptions for people with dementia and other conditions, to provide information to those who need it.
“This is in line with the approach taken by the previous Government.”