WTC: How can I prove my (male) housemate isn't my partner

Naf

Closing the account will make no difference to the benefit decision, however, as they'll just turn round and say the decision to close it was contrived purely to claim the benefits.

The advice above is good, and it's true you will probably have a hard time of it.
I would suggest firstly pointing them to the specific transactions on the account, that bills and bills only (I hope for your sake) go out of the account, and that each of your single accounts pay separate contributions that add up to this: individual day-to-day stuff doesn't happen on that account.
I'd then (if necessary) request that they send someone round to asses your living arrangements: that each of you has their own room. Hopefully one or the other will help.

2sides2everystory

Adereterial wrote: »

Whatever the reason, it's not usual and therefore entirely unsurprising why HMRC have come to this conclusion.

Wrong. As zagfles may be implying, it is in fact very usual thesedays for a joint bank account to be set up between parties to a shared tenancy from which the rent is paid in one transaction and perhaps energy costs and council tax if those are not part of the rent. Unless you have shared a tenancy or work at the sharp end in a retail bank you may not be aware of how common it is for such accounts to be opened. It is therefore rather clumsy of HMRC to be making an issue out of this especially if the bank account has a few and similar transactions each month.

I am not surprised however that we find they are making life unnecessarily difficult to claim what rightfully belongs to the OP. That's unfortunately the way the welfare system is now being steered in the UK and elsewhere I guess - so that there are more people employed to obstruct claimants than there are people providing a service to make sure entitled claimants don't give up at the first hurdle.

skintandscared_2

I have shared houses with people before and not had joint bank accounts. To be honest, I would have been very reluctant to have a joint bank account with an ex-bankrupt anyway, in case of any financial association.

sarahk100574

Seth - I had a compliance visit from tax credits a few years ago. At the time me and my daughter were house sharing with my best friend who was a trainee nurse. We had a joint bank account for bills and they really jumped on it, but when i pointed out that sam was female and not male, they asked me for proof as she wasn't home; so i took the lady upstairs to see our bedrooms! That was enough and she was clearly a little embarrassed about asking but her notes were clear that i was under suspicion of being in a relationship, and afterwards it was case closed! It seemed at the time that i was picked up for investigation because of the joint bank account... also, when i went thought the bank statements with her she could clearly see it was a joint bills account with only the regular transactions which almost certianly helped my defence that we were sharing a house due to lack of funds and that i was in fact entitled to claim the tax credits as the single parent that i was... is your house mate called something that may be construed as a female name? (sam, ashley, alex etc?)

bengal-stripe

sarahk100574 wrote: »

I had a compliance visit from tax credits a few years ago. At the time me and my daughter were house sharing with my best friend who was a trainee nurse.......pointed out that sam was female and not male

... is your house mate called something that may be construed as a female name? (sam, ashley, alex etc?)

A few years ago you could not have a "partner" who was the same sex as you. This has changed with the introduction of Civil Partnerships in 2004. Now for (means-tested) benefits you you have to prove that you are not living together like 'man and wife' (for different sex partners) or 'civil partners' (same sex).

kelloggs36

I take it you have an additional bank account for all your personal finances - and can prove that only joint bills and rent etc are paid out of the joint one? NOt that that is 100% proof as many couples operate this way, but it may be something.

jamespir

so you have a shared bank account and hes moved with you to the new place ? from an old place sorry but i can understand why they believe you to be a couple

im not sure how your gonna prove otherwise

prowla

If you have a separate bank accounts and ONLY use the shared one for shared household purposes, then that might swing it.

jamespir

prowla wrote: »

If you have a separate bank accounts and ONLY use the shared one for shared household purposes, then that might swing it.

me and the gf have seperate bank accounts were still a couple

corbyboy

Surely just having a joint account isn't proof of anything, but the transactions in the account will be a giveaway.

For example if the account just listed:
- rent
- gas
- electric
- insurance
- water
- council tax

And nothing other than household expenses then surely that is above board.

But if it shows debit card payments from restaurants and supermarkets and cash withdrawls then the OP will be on dodgy ground.

I wonder if the OP could clarify this for us?