Council tax single person discount review

[smudge99]

I have received a letter from a company called Capacity Grid, who are acting on behalf of the council in reviewing entitlement to the single person discount of 25% on the council tax. They are using credit reference agencies to see who they think may be at the property.
They are asking me to fill in an online form as they have found financial links to my daughter, who moved out when she was 19 (she is now 31) and has lived with a couple of ex boyfriends and their parents, and also a couple of rented rooms at private addresses. Unfortunately she has kept her bank A/C, driving licence, and given all employers my address, and as she was living with boyfriends parents, and in private lodgings, she has no proof that she hasn`t been living with me. If I can`t prove that she has been living elsewhere, I am likely to be liable for about £2,500 if they backdate it ten years. Are they able to backdate it that far? I don`t know what to do, I am worried sick.
Also, they are asking about my son, who does live with me but I thought was exempt because he is unemployed. I then found out when I went to fill in the online form that he is not.
Does anyone know how far back they can backdate council tax? I thought it would be alright for my daughter to carry on using my address. If I had known this I never would have let her.

[FlamingParrot]

Re: Council tax single person discount review

I have received a letter from a company called Capacity Grid, who are acting on behalf of the council in reviewing entitlement to the single person discount of 25% on the council tax. They are using credit reference agencies to see who they think may be at the property.
They are asking me to fill in an online form as they have found financial links to my daughter, who moved out when she was 19 (she is now 31) and has lived with a couple of ex boyfriends and their parents, and also a couple of rented rooms at private addresses. Unfortunately she has kept her bank A/C, driving licence, and given all employers my address, and as she was living with boyfriends parents, and in private lodgings, she has no proof that she hasn`t been living with me. If I can`t prove that she has been living elsewhere, I am likely to be liable for about £2,500 if they backdate it ten years. Are they able to backdate it that far? I don`t know what to do, I am worried sick.
Also, they are asking about my son, who does live with me but I thought was exempt because he is unemployed. I then found out when I went to fill in the online form that he is not.
Does anyone know how far back they can backdate council tax? I thought it would be alright for my daughter to carry on using my address. If I had known this I never would have let her.

The single person discount only applies when only one of the people resident in the property is counted as an adult. Amongst those who don't count are the following groups:

• Young people under 18
• Full time students
• Young people under 25 who get funding from the Skills Funding Agency or Young People’s Learning Agency
• Student nurses and people on some apprenticeship schemes
• People with a serious mental impairment
• Live-in carers who are not family members

Being unemployed is not a reason not to be counted as an adult.

The amount of tax payable is calculated on the basis of 2 or more people living at the property. If your son does live with you then it may not make any difference whether you can prove your daughter hasn't lived with you, this depends on how old your son is and how long he's been away from full time education.

[smudge99]

Re: Council tax single person discount review

Thank you. I realise that now, after viewing the online form and seeing what the exemptions are. My son is 29 and has been unemployed for over ten years I am embarrassed to say. I realised a couple of years ago that I should be claiming " second adult discount", but when I checked, it was the same discount of 25% if the second adult was unemployed, so not wanting to rock the boat, I left things as they were. After checking online the last couple of days, I have now found that they changed this in 2013 of which I was unaware. I am the only one employed, on a very low wage, and I don`t know whether they will accept my explanation, even if I can prove my daughter was not living here.

[FlamingParrot]

Re: Council tax single person discount review

Thank you. I realise that now, after viewing the online form and seeing what the exemptions are. My son is 29 and has been unemployed for over ten years I am embarrassed to say. I realised a couple of years ago that I should be claiming " second adult discount", but when I checked, it was the same discount of 25% if the second adult was unemployed, so not wanting to rock the boat, I left things as they were. After checking online the last couple of days, I have now found that they changed this in 2013 of which I was unaware. I am the only one employed, on a very low wage, and I don`t know whether they will accept my explanation, even if I can prove my daughter was not living here.

You can always try. It's always best to show you had a good reason for doing something rather than being seen as trying to deliberately conceal or alter the facts.

Even if you have to pay something back, you could come to an arrangement to pay a low monthly amount if you provide an income and expenditure form showing that's all you can afford. If you are the only person who is employed and don't earn very much you could qualify for council tax reduction: http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/englan...eduction_e.htm

If you qualify, this will apply to future rather than past council tax payments, however, it should still help. :thumb:

[smudge99]

Single Person Discount issue

I have recieved a letter from "Capacity Grid" regarding my single person discount.
My daughter left home when she was 20 ( she is now 31) but has never changed anything over from my address, including her bank A/C, driving licence, employers etc.
I am now worried sick. She has lived in about five different places since, including ex boyfriends parents and lodgings. I don`t know what kind of evidence they are going to ask for, or even what she will be able to provide. She said her car insurance has always been at the address where she lived, but I don`t know whether this would be acceptable.
I am terrified that I may get accused of fraud. I really didn`t think that she couldn`t use my address.
Can they make me pay ten years worth of back pay if they are not satisfied that she hasn`t lived there?
This is making me ill. Can anyone give me any advice, or has anyone else experienced similar?

[ploddertom]

Re: Single Person Discount issue

This has probably cropped up because working on behalf of the Councils that they have flagged up a person living at your address whilst you are claiming SPD. I assume you have only claimed SPD since she left home and because she has not updated her address with various organisations you may be penailised. To help fight your corner I suggest you contact your local Councillor(s) and ask them to help you.

[FlamingParrot]

Re: Single Person Discount issue

There is another thread the OP started last week and it looks like there's more than just the link with the daughter, there's also a son living in the property: http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...eview&p=497960

[ploddertom]

Re: Single Person Discount issue

There is another thread the OP started last week and it looks like there's more than just the link with the daughter, there's also a son living in the property: http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...eview&p=497960

Many thanks for pointing this out, maybe both threads should be merged.

[enaid]

Re: Single Person Discount issue

Many thanks for pointing this out, maybe both threads should be merged.

Done

[ploddertom]

Re: Council tax single person discount review

I think I now see why this has been picked as they will suspect they have a serial fraudster on their hands. Whilst the situation with your daughter can be proven - even if difficult, the one with your son means they will look to recoup any overpayment and the reasons why. Best bet is to give full cooperation and again suggest engaging your local Councillor{s} and do this ASAP - the longer it is left the worse it will appear. Although they are not supposed to in my view all Councils view any transgressions seriously and adjudge you guilty per se.

[smudge99]

Re: Council tax single person discount review

Thank you. The issue with my daughter now does not seem to be relevant. Apparently, as far as my son is concerned, I should have been claiming "second adult rebate" as he is on JSA, and has been since leaving school. I would have still received the 25% discount, but as I was receiving 25% single person allowance I am probably going to have to pay back eleven years worth, which I have worked out as approximately £2,800, as they cannot backdate a claim that far, even though the discounts would have been the same!
If they choose to prosecute me for fraud, they can add on 50% of the total overpayment.
I could be facing owing them over £4000 all because I claimed the wrong thing.
I phoned today to cancel my discount, and I have checked online about the "second adult rebate" which apparently ceased to exist in 2013.
I am really worried.
I am just waiting now to hear from them, and find out how much they want, and whether or not they decide they are going to take it further.
I phoned a solicitor today, and he said, that as the councils computers are meant to be linked, that they should have picked up on this discrepancy a long time ago, as my son has been claiming from this address. I haven`t tried to hide anything from them. Going to be a great Christmas.

[enaid]

Re: Council tax single person discount review

Ok so you have been claiming 'single persons allowance' and you say you should have been claiming 'second adult rebate'

How much second adult rebate will you get?

If the second adult is on benefits

If any of the second adults in your home is getting one of the following benefits, you will get a 25 per cent rebate on your council tax:

• Income Support
• Pension Credit
• income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
• income-related Employment And Support Allowance (ESA).

This should balance out imo as your son would be discounted and therefore leaving the 25% discount correct as being a single occupancy.
This up until April 2013, your council will have made there own rules on discounts for council tax, it wil be on their website exactly who and what can be claimed.
This is only my opinion but as far as I can make out you only owe from April 2013 up until now the difference as to what you are allowed and what you are not within the new rules.
If this is the case then you should be able to set up a repayment plan with the council.

[smudge99]

Re: Council tax single person discount review

Thank you enaid. Yes, you are right, it should balance out up until 2013, if everything was just and fair in this world.
The woman from the council that I spoke to said that even if I had been entitled to the 25% anyway, that I had claimed the wrong thing and they wouldn`t be able to backdate a claim that far.
Funny isn`t it, that they can backdate their mistakes as far as they want, but we can`t backdate ours.
Anyway she has passed it to the "back office" so no doubt I will hear something in the next few weeks.

[enaid]

Re: Council tax single person discount review

Are there two separate forms, one for single occupancy and one fro second adult?

[smudge99]

Re: Council tax single person discount review

I think there must be two separate forms, although I have never filled in a form to claim the single occupancy.
I was already receiving it, and apparently I should have told them when my son reached eighteen.
As he wasn`t working I had always thought he was exempt and that was why they were giving me the discount.
I wasn`t receiving any other benefits at the time.