Single Persons' Discount and Serving Soldier

kimlisa66

I wonder if anyone has the answer to my query.

I applied for the single persons council tax discount when my husband and I split up last October. I informed the council that I was the only adult living at my address, my 19 year old son was living away as a serving soldier. He is now 20 and about to be posted to Northern Ireland. He does not live with me, but visits occiasonally.

I received a letter this Saturday saying that my council were conducting a review of everyone in the city receiving single person's council tax discount (yeah right they are) and they had reason to believe I was not the only adult at my address.

When I phone to query this I was told they had evidence of recent joint bank account activity and that my son was living there. I told them that when OH and I split up we had a high joint acc overdraft which neither of us could pay off in a lump sum so the account is open and we are paying it off £100 each montly and that the address of the acc had been changed to my husband's new address. We are not living together and have separate finances apart from this acc.

I was told that I didnt qualify for SPD as my son had to pay the difference if he wasnt paying council tax for his army barracks. I cant speak to him as he is on excercise but he pays an accomodation charge to the army. He doesnt live with me anymore and the fact that he may not pay CT isnt anything to do with me.

The upshot is, can they take away my discount ?

I personally think someone is being malicious as a couple of people i have spoken to who receive SPD have not had these letters.

For the record I am a single mum, working 30 hours a week and just about struggling to keep my head above water. Any increase in CT will cripple me.

Hope someone has the answer.

Kim

lil_me

Your son must be still registered as living at your address, you need to have this changed, he needs to register where he lives, have his voting forms etc sent elsewhere aswell. If you contact his usual barracks they are usually very helpful with issues like this.

mouseymousey99

Hi Kim, I'm sorry I dont know the answer; but this should bump you back up the list and someone who knows will be along soon. Best wishes M

kyh

If your son is paying for his barracks accommodation he will be paying CILOCT - Contribution in Lieu of Council Tax and is not classed as a resident at your property. If you contact the Army Families Federation they will help you on this - I will try and find the web link

kyh

http://www2.army.mod.uk/aff/

there you go

kimlisa66

I can't say thanks enough for the help and advice you have given me...I have today appealed the decision and I have threatened the council with going to the local press about this as they have accessed a joint bank account I have with my ex OH we are just using to pay off our overdraft. The invasion of privacy I have been subject to is astonishing, not withstanding the fact they are trying to charge me for someone who doesnt live here.

Thank again, I will let you know the outcome.

Kim

lil_me

Unfortunately the privacy thing sort of doesn't count. I was interview once by them and they had several years of bank statements belonging to myself and my partner.

kimlisa66

Hi lil_me

Upon checking with the Council, its seems they have accessed my credit file with Experian, claiming it is a public document and it shows evidence of joint bank account activity in the past 90 days.

I checked my credit file last night, it doesnt show a search by them, neither does it show any such activity on a joint account.

I am livid over the invasion of my privacy and have threatened them with the press to highlight to others what they are up to.

Kim

elmer

Most councils receive info from the Inland Revenue about all bank accounts that you hold, this has been going on for several years and is not considered an invasion of privacy as you are supposed to declare all accounts to the council when you apply for benefits.
We usually ask our Fraud team to investigate anyone who turns up on this list.

Elmer

kimlisa66

But the thing is I haven't been asked to declare any bank accounts....they have used a company called Data Discoveries to credit check files held with Experian after claiming that my banking records were publicly available documents. Total B***locks.

I am not on housing or council tax benefit, but claim the single persons 25% discount and this is not paid from a joint banking account. Their precise words to me when I phone them were ' We have evidence of joint bank account activity in the last 90 days'.

I have heard to day they have reinstated my discount it after I kicked up such a rumpus, and they weren't even aware that my son, as a serving solider already pays an element of council tax in is accomodation charge so should have been exempt.

They have reinstated the discount after my phone call to them threatening them with the press , when initially they told me nothing could be done until I put it in writing.....now its a big back pedal and they cant do enough for me.... I wonder why !

Bogof_Babe

Experian and other credit reference agencies' files are publicly accessible records - at least to anyone with a genuine right to access them, e.g. when you want to buy anything on credit.