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council tax worry!
cbloggs
Posts: 5 Forumite
hi, i was claiming single parent benefits for around 2 1/2 years. my partner didnt live with me and was staying with various family members but used my address as a postal address. within this 2 1/2 years i had another baby with him and moved house. he moved in on 17th feb and on 25th feb i recieved a letter saying they had ran credit checks at my address that he was living with me as there were financial transactions noted by him at my address. i had not yet informed them he had moved in, just basically hadnt got round to it yet. but since i have gone in and signed a delaration to say he moved in on 17th feb. and i then informed tax credits. i have recieved some housing benefit but not in the past year as ny earnings where high enough. i got 25% discount on council tax and single parent tax credits. i am worried they think i was trying to claim falsely as i let him use my address for letters. what should i expect to happen?
i have just rang them and they said experian had notified them that he lived at my previous address with me so they were removing my single person discou t from whe i moved in in november, but i explained he only moved in in feb. explained he used my address as a postal address, we had 2 kids together and he had no fixed address and her reply was well you shouldnt let anyone use your address. i dont no how i can prove he didnt live with me in my previous address as we have since moved or even up til now as all his stuff is now here as he has moved in.
i have just rang them and they said experian had notified them that he lived at my previous address with me so they were removing my single person discou t from whe i moved in in november, but i explained he only moved in in feb. explained he used my address as a postal address, we had 2 kids together and he had no fixed address and her reply was well you shouldnt let anyone use your address. i dont no how i can prove he didnt live with me in my previous address as we have since moved or even up til now as all his stuff is now here as he has moved in.
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Where was he registered on the electoral role?
Where was his car insurance registered?
where was he registered for doctor etc?
was he paying child support through the CSA?
were any of the family members he stayed with in receipt of benefits? did they declare he was living with them?
From the information you have listed you will have difficulty proving you were single unless you can provide the evidence of where he was living.
Unfortunately as the benefits system can be generous to single parents there are couples that pretend to live apart to maximise their benefits.
The fact that you have now had another child together will not help your case proving you were not in a relationship unless you were pregnant when you separated0 -
I can see why they are querying it as it's very common for people to have 'just moved in' - the fact it happened just before the letter would make them suspicious when it's coupled with credit records.
As stated above you need to show where he was living during the period in question otherwise I wouldn't expect you have much of a chance in proving that he only moved in during Feb.I no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.0 -
I you claim tax credits they could also inform HMRC.Tomorrow is the most important thing in life0
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Where was he registered on the electoral role?
Where was his car insurance registered?
where was he registered for doctor etc?
was he paying child support through the CSA?
were any of the family members he stayed with in receipt of benefits? did they declare he was living with them?
From the information you have listed you will have difficulty proving you were single unless you can provide the evidence of where he was living.
Unfortunately as the benefits system can be generous to single parents there are couples that pretend to live apart to maximise their benefits.
The fact that you have now had another child together will not help your case proving you were not in a relationship unless you were pregnant when you separated
his car insurance and licece were registered at his aunts house where he stayed sometimes and he wasnt registered on the electoral regiater as he didnt have a fixed address. he was registered at the same doctors as me and the kids but that was only because they provided late appointments. he didnt register on his mums council tax as she owes a lot of money and didnt want to be held accountable. we were on and off thats how we ended up with another baby. i made no secret to them that we were ao etines together but living apart. i know how it looks but its an honest claim. no bills in this new house are in his name. but he did recieve letters such as credit card bills etc to this addrss as his parents used to open his mail, thats why he got them sent to my address.
we had a joint account from when we first got together, but he had a standing order set up to it to help with costs of the bills and some debt we had accumulated while we were together but he never used the account or logged in online. i dealt with it all.0 -
Which address did his employers have?Tomorrow is the most important thing in life0
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bloolagoon wrote: »Which address did his employers have?
his mums address0 -
we had a joint account from when we first got together, but he had a standing order set up to it to help with costs of the bills and some debt we had accumulated while we were together but he never used the account or logged in online. QUOTE]
If this was CSA, there seems less issue.
if however he was paying your billls..................If you've have not made a mistake, you've made nothing0 -
they havent asked to interview me or anything. jus stated that they found him to be living here and will increase my council tax bill from when i moved to this address in nov. but i went in and signed a declaration that he moved in on 17th feb so they are looking into it and will get bk to me. is it likely they will want to interview me? or will they simply just get me to pay full council tax from the date i moved in? thanks0
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he was paying bills for catalogues we had while living together previously. csa were not involved. there was no need to.0
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On this evidence I can see why the council have rejected you assertion that he only moved in during February 14, it does look suspicious.
his car insurance and licece were registered at his aunts house where he stayed sometimes and he wasnt registered on the electoral regiater as he didnt have a fixed address. he was registered at the same doctors as me and the kids but that was only because they provided late appointments. he didnt register on his mums council tax as she owes a lot of money and didnt want to be held accountable. we were on and off thats how we ended up with another baby. i made no secret to them that we were ao etines together but living apart. i know how it looks but its an honest claim. no bills in this new house are in his name. but he did recieve letters such as credit card bills etc to this addrss as his parents used to open his mail, thats why he got them sent to my address.
we had a joint account from when we first got together, but he had a standing order set up to it to help with costs of the bills and some debt we had accumulated while we were together but he never used the account or logged in online. i dealt with it a
If the council refuse to grant the discount then you would have to appeal to a Valuation Tribunal for a definitive decision.I no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.0
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