Concentrix letter - Refusal to discuss with claimant

Pedders81

Hi there,

I understand lots of people have been receiving Concentrix (HMRC) letters accusing them of living with a partner. In my girlfriends case, we have been together 9 months but do not live together. She has lived with her parents and sister all her life and at no time has an ex boyfriend lived with her. I only stay at her parents 1-2 times a month due to work/university commitments.

From reading other posts, Concentrix/HMRC have notified the claimant of the abnormality. However, in my girlfriends case, they're saying they have evidence that she's living with a partner but are refusing to disclose the evidence.

In the unlikely event the matter went to court, they can't refuse to disclose the evidence, so how can they refuse to do so now?

Thanks

Andy

Icequeen99

Has your partner checked her credit file to see if there is anyone else that she is financially linked to?

They are using data from credit reference agencies so there must be someone else showing up at that address. It could be her Dad/Mother/Sister to be honest, I have seen that happen before.

Otherwise, she needs to supply the information requested.

They shouldn't be refusing to give information about the evidence they have but quite how you persuade them of that I am not sure. A complaint to HMRC and Concentrix might help.

IQ

cocacolakid

I've just had a similar letter from Concentrix about living with another adult. I don't even have a boyfriend but I do live with my parents. They still want me to send documents to prove this which is very annoying. There are no previous tenants as my parents bought the house when first built.
I spoke to a friend who used to work in tax office and she said concentrix are doing this without much training and have targets to meet for the number of letters they send out. So they see another name on electoral register or credit agency and automatically send out a letter.
So nothing to worry about if you do live alone but a flaming waste of our time proving something they would know if they did any research. And flipping annoying to be accused of living with my Dad! (and Mum!)

cordwangle

I too have had to send off some 40 pages of docs one thing worth including is the following
"A recent Upper Tribunal appeal SB v HMRC (CTC/1824/2014) overturned HMRC's decision to withdraw SB's tax credits when she could not provide what HMRC considered sufficient evidence that no-one was living with her and stated that the onus is not on SB to provide the evidence that she had claimed correctly, but on HMRC to claim that she had not. It the decision, the Tribunal mentioned S16(1)(b) of the Tax Credits Act 2002 and that it states that "where at any time during the period for which an award of tax credit is made to a person.... [HMRC] have reasonable grounds for believing that [the person] has... ceased to be, or never been entitled to tax credits for the period, [HMRC] may decide to amend or terminate the award." The judge stated that "the starting point was NOT for the appellant to show that the award had been properly made" but for "HMRC to make good the evidential basis for the 'reasonable grounds for believing'"."
I also contacted my MP and made a formal complaint
They are supposed to work to rules set out in the manual which is available on line but clearly are not where divorce or splits have oocured

[FONT=&quot]CCM15390[/FONT]"In post-award examinations for new claims or examinations or enquiries into claims made within the last two years, the first thing you should check is whether there has previously been a joint claim with the suspected partner. If so, there may well have been a separation and the evidence that you hold relates to the time when they were a couple.
[FONT=&quot]If the evidence only relates to the time when they were making a joint claim you will not be able to make a decision of Living Together as Husband and Wife or Living Together as Civil Partners. If you suspect they are still living together you should ask your CCRO to review the case to see if there is any fresh evidence that either gives a new address for the ex-partner or shows the partner is still living with the customer. [/FONT]"

missapril75

Pedders81 wrote: »

I understand lots of people have been receiving Concentrix (HMRC) letters accusing them of living with a partner.

These would be the letters referred to in at least two other threads about evidence of the possibility of there being a partner because another name is recorded against the same address. It may be out of date information or it has a simple explanation but the information exists and is just being checked.

Far from an accusation. Why do people have to be so melodramatic?

Here's the wording reproduced from the main thread.

Dear XXXXXX

We need to talk to you about whether you are living with a partner

You claim tax credits as a single person, but we have evidence that there may be another adult living with you.