Tax credit compliance letter

Lollylu117

Hello, I got a letter from the tax credit office today insinuationing that I have claiming single tax credits when my 'partner' is living with me. My sons dad moved out of our flat sept 2009, we uphold a decent relationship for our child's sake so he comes to stay every so often, once a month sometimes not even that!
I am at college and have not got time to work between looking after my child and studying so you can understand why I claim benefits.
The problem is, my ex's mail still comes to this address, in spite of me
Sending it back to the senders and asking him to change his contact address I still get his letters!
The tax office have said they have reason to believe he lives here, I have no idea where he lives, all I know is I struggle every month to make rent even with housing benefit help, I have so many debts that I was left with and I am now being asked to send evidence in that he does live here or they will stop my payments.

I am so worried as I only want the best for my boy that is why I am studying to get a better job and lifestyle for him. Please can someone give me some advice on this as I am going out of my mind with worry

Thanks in advance

Lollylu117

He also has been trying to get credit, loans etc out at this address so I am not suprised they think this way!
I am worried that they will think I am lying and ask me to pay back what they have given me!

nannytone_2

they will want to know where he lives.
this could be a real big problem for you.
the kind of thing you need to provide is...
where does he pay council tax
where is he on the electoral role
does he get bank statements to your address?
are all the bills in your name?
does he pay maintenance that you can show going into your account regularly>

Lollylu117

Thanks for the reply, as far as I know he stays with friends and his mother

All bills are in my name but the tenancy agreement is in both of our names as I couldn't renew without him. I pay for everything on my own by any means necessary just to have a roof over my sons head. I have maxed out so many credit accounts trying to pay for the essentials and am now defaulting on so many different accounts.

Lollylu117

I don't know what he gets sent here I always send it back with not at this address on it

Lollylu117

Oops and no he doesn't pay maintenance, he has hardly given me a thing since he left!

nannytone_2

i think youre in serious bother here.
everything links him to your address. the fact he pays no maintenance would also point to you being a couple.
does your landlord think he lives there?
he didnt need to go on the tenancy, he could have stood as guarantor.

Lollylu117

He doesn't work so he wouldn't be able to be a garantor
He hasn't lived here for well over a year. It's so unfair that I struggle week after week to get by on my own yet and am now going to be penalised for claiming what I deserve after all the tax and n.i I payed up until I had my boy
Yes my landlord thinks he lives here but am moving soon and am currently looking for work so was planning on singing off all the tax credits and benefits I am on, but have now got this letter through!

Do you know what will happen? I am really worried!

nannytone_2

you say he hasmt lived with you for well over a year, but in your OP you said september 2009... thats over 3 years.
and why woukld the landlord insist he be on the tenancy if he isnt working? is he registered for council tax at your address? and is he on your housing benefit claim? as if he is on the rent book, then he would be the one claiming
this really doesnt add up and if it foesnt make sense to me, then it really wont make sense to HMRC.

mikey_bach

If he doesn't work then how does he support himself? Why hasn't he claimed JSA if out of work?
Questions they may ask as well as well.


You said you separated in 2009 but he moved out last year.


I think you could do with making an appointment with Welfare rights or Cab

Lollylu117

Sorry I meant 2011, we moved in here 2009. they didn't insist on him being on the tenancy agreement, I just didn't want to loose my home and I was scared that the landlord wouldn't want to renew as I am not working, I have no one to be a garuntor as I am on my own otherwise I would have done that.

He is not on the housing benefit claim or council tax benefit, I am on all the bills, the electoral, everything in this house apart from the tenancy agreement has just my name on it. I have nothing but the money that comes in every month through benefits, hence why I have decided to look for a job as it is getting too hard to get through the month.