Help, letter from council, regarding fraud

petethesteam

My mother has today received a letter from her local council, stating that their records show that she is receiving a Single Person discount, as she has told them that she is the only person living at her address. The problem is she is not, I am also living there and have been for 4 years. What do we, do we come clean or can we get away with saying that I no longer live there or have just moved in. I have never paid any council tax, but am not claiming anything, and am currently £30,000 in debt? Please what do we do?

DX2

petethesteam wrote: »

My mother has today received a letter from her local council, stating that their records show that she is receiving a Single Person discount, as she has told them that she is the only person living at her address. The problem is she is not, I am also living there and have been for 4 years. What do we, do we come clean or can we get away with saying that I no longer live there or have just moved in. I have never paid any council tax, but am not claiming anything, and am currently £30,000 in debt? Please what do we do?

You admit the truth, pretty simple I would have thought.

munchings-n-crunchings

The only option you have is to be open and honest and admit to the change of circumstances.
If it was a genuine mistake or over sight, it's better to hold your hands up. You try and cover up, and things start to unravel, you have done yourself no favours.

If you have a bank account or a benefit paid to you at that address, then there is proof that you are living there, things can always be traced back.

It sound like this is like a letter I received over a year ago. Councils are having a splurge on checking up on those claiming a single person discount. I would say, that at this point there is no allegation of fraud, so to try and resolve at this point would put the situation in a better light.

You could possibly ask the CAB to help you.

Regards
Munchie

petethesteam

I know that's what we should do, she did intend, and has intended to come clean all along but as time has gone on it just snowballs, and she has been so scarred for that knock on the door kind of thing. I myself am not and have never claimed any benefits what so ever.

CIS

Your mother is responsible for council tax due on the property and enusring that council tax is paid correctly.

3 years of a single person discount is upwards of £750 which you mother will be billed for. The easiest option is to come clean and it will be billed for as per the normal council tax due.

Its not uncommon to remove discounts back this far - Ive removed discounts back to 2000 or so where information has come to light that the discount is incorrect.

petethesteam

Can I ask if this is part of your job, and can you indicate whether i or she will be prosecuted, is this letter about the Audit and National Fraud Initiative a letter that they send out to give you the chance to come clean?

Fran

CIS wrote: »

Your mother is responsible for council tax due on the property and enusring that council tax is paid correctly.

3 years of a single person discount is upwards of £750 which you mother will be billed for.

This has been answered, see above.

As you have been living there though and she has lost this discount because of that, really you should have been contributing.

mavvysmum

petethesteam wrote: »

Can I ask if this is part of your job, and can you indicate whether i or she will be prosecuted, is this letter about the Audit and National Fraud Initiative a letter that they send out to give you the chance to come clean?

Hi there, I work in the council tax section of a local council - this happens a lot, people forgetting they are in receipt of a single person discount and their circumstances have changed. The best thing for her to to do is to come clean and admit how long you have been living there and that not advising them was a genuine oversight. Some councils do have council tax inspectors and may visit, so if you dont come clean it will be confirmed at a later date and she will have a higher bill to pay. She will have her discount removed back to the date you moved in and will be sent a bill. But neither of you will be prosecuted (we certainly dont do that in our council!) If the bill is difficult to pay she should be able to call the council and make an arrangement to pay it , i am sure that if she explains it was a genuine oversight they should be understanding.
Also dont be tempted to claim you moved in on a later date - councils do data matching to target where single person discounts are being claimed and shouldnt be - such as verifying information against the electoral roll.

seven-day-weekend

Come clean. admit what she has done and pay the money back.

petethesteam

mavvysmum wrote: »

Hi there, I work in the council tax section of a local council - this happens a lot, people forgetting they are in receipt of a single person discount and their circumstances have changed. The best thing for her to to do is to come clean and admit how long you have been living there and that not advising them was a genuine oversight. Some councils do have council tax inspectors and may visit, so if you dont come clean it will be confirmed at a later date and she will have a higher bill to pay. She will have her discount removed back to the date you moved in and will be sent a bill. But neither of you will be prosecuted (we certainly dont do that in our council!) If the bill is difficult to pay she should be able to call the council and make an arrangement to pay it , i am sure that if she explains it was a genuine oversight they should be understanding.
Also dont be tempted to claim you moved in on a later date - councils do data matching to target where single person discounts are being claimed and shouldnt be - such as verifying information against the electoral roll.

We won't lose our council house, will we?

mavvysmum

No you wont lose the council house, only way you will lose that is if the rent isnt being paid!