A GRANDSON is taking Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to court, claiming that his granddad has not received council tax support for 'many years'.

Matthew Langfear, who is a full-time carer for his 94-year-old granddad James Langfear, said he approached the Valuation Tribunal Service on behalf of his granddad.

According to Mr Langfear, his granddad had been paying £111 per month in council tax for many years, although he was entitled to support.

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He would have had to pay only £26 per month if he had known that he was entitled to council tax support.

The family, who live on Queen Mary's Avenue, discovered this in early 2022. His application for council tax support was approved on February 20, 2022.

Mr James Langfear says that he asked for his claim to be backdated six years to January 1, 2016, but he claims he was only awarded money backdated six months from August 2021.

Unhappy with the decision, grandson Mr Matthew Langfear has been going back and forth with the council for several months.

He alleges that despite several complaints and appeals, the council said it could not backdate the claim to six years.

In its latest letter to Mr James Langfear, the council said that the maximum period to backdate a claim for pension-age applicants is in fact three months.

He was awarded the claim for six months due to a local authority error, but the council said it is writing off this overpayment.

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It is alleged that the local authority said the onus is on Mr James Langfear to make an application for council tax support at the time of need and in accordance with the application process.

Mr Matthew Langfear said he is taking the council to tribunal because the authority was aware of his granddad’s entitlement, and also to educate other Basingstoke residents.

“My grandfather feels he has been ripped off as he should have been on the lower rate years ago," Mr Langfear said.

“By approaching the tribunal we are trying also to inform everyone in the borough, especially the elderly people, that they should be aware of this. They are also probably paying higher rates to the council.”

“If it wasn't for me informing the council, my grandad would have continued to pay £111 per month.”

The date of the tribunal hearing has been set for Friday, November 4.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s executive director of corporate services and assets Sue Cuerden said: “It would not be appropriate for the council to give information on individual cases and personal details and it cannot comment while any appeal is underway.”