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My flatmate has applied to the council tax unit to claim second person allowance. He's got a letter back saying that he's not entitled to it because there is no second person living at the address.
Right, just read the form properly and it says it was declined because the "partner" box was ticked for me! Obviously, my flatmate ticked it by mistake.
Can we just say a mistake was made on the application or can it be appealed?
My flatmate has applied to the council tax unit to claim second person allowance. He's got a letter back saying that he's not entitled to it because there is no second person living at the address.
Erm, HELLLOOOOO!!! MEEE! I live here!
Any ideas?
What do you mean by second person allowance ?
I thought there is a standard council tax rate (its assuming there are 2 or more people there) BUT if you live by yourself you can get 30% or so knocked off.
You can also get a discount if the other person is a full time student or unemployed (among other circumstances). The only reason the form was filled in was because the council sent a form saying itwas going to take away the discount unless it was filled in.
They have now also sent 3 council tax bills asking for the discount applied over the past 4 years to be repaid, which is wrong as I was a full time student at the time and flatmate was entitled to the discount.
All of this because the wrong bleedin box was ticked by mistake.
Flatmate has now received several backdated council tax bills totalling just over £1000 that are being requested to be paid by the end of the month. He's struggling to pay the discounted rate, never mind the higher one plus the backdated ones!
Council said that they never knew I lived at the property and should have been informed (they were as far as I knew). However, my circumstances mean that my flatmate has always been entitled to the discount rate - I have been a full time student and then unemployed.
Council is now saying that they do not have to "backdate" the discount. As far as I am aware, there is nothing to backdate.
There was a case in the Lords a couple of years back which stated that there is no duty to inform the council of a change where that change did not affect the entitlement to discounts. I am desparately trying to find the case.
If anyone can help on any of the above matters please do. This and other things is putting him in an increasingly desparate situation.
Write them a letter with proof that you didnt have to pay, as they will not want you taking it further.
I was paying full council tax for 8 years as I was unaware there was a discount, I wrote to the council saying I was unaware and tthat could they backdate it. After speaking to a lady on the phone she said they would have to back date it as if you appeal the councils always loose, low and behold they credited my council tax account with £2315, this was Watford council by the way, dont give up.
If a change in a person's circumstances did not affect any entitlement of his to any benefit under the social security legislation there was no obligation to disclose that change to the prescribed person.
Well finally got the discount put back for when I was a student.
Now they have sent an adjusted bill for the time since then but with no discount.
Got a phone call from the benefits office saying they are coming to my house to fill in a new claim form. Am I being paranoid in thinking this is an investigation or something?
I cant believe all this is happening over one stupid wrongly ticked box.
Council Tax second person discount
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Originally Posted by gyzmo
