Hope someone can help me with advice here.

My friend has split from her partner of 25 years and just found out he was seeing someone.

She had no idea where is is living and wrote to the council to give you single person discount.

She works full time and has a 15year old and one at university.

She had a reply from them and they have refused to give her the discount as she hasn't supplied his address.

I'm helping her as I think she is going to have a breakdown.

Surely they are breaking the law?

She is a law abiding citizen and struggles to pay the mortage and bills as it is.

Please can fellow caggers help a lovely lady, I need to know her rights and a possible letter to reply to the council with.

Blueboy xx

(I am a female, sorry about the blueboy bit, its one of my dogs names)

I think it is a straightforward case of completing a form for a single person discount. She can probably do this at one of the councils offices, where people can visit to deal with these issues. She just needs to take her council tax bill with her. I don't think you can get the discount by just writing a letter, but the council should have just told her what she had to do.

If she is struggling financially, then she may qualify for other benefits, so if she visits the council they may be able to look at what other help they can provide e.g further council tax benefit.

Has she also looked at what help DWP provide e.g working tax credits.

http://www.debtadvicefoundation.org/benefit?gclid=CKzwr7e7iLYCFczHtAodgUUAuA

Thank you for your speedy reply unclebulgaria67 but she has applied properly for the single discount and it was the letter from the council which said:

I WILL REQUIRE VERIFIABLE FORWARDING ADDRESS FOR MR XXXXX AS REQUESTED IN YOUR APPLICATION FOR SINGLE OCCUPANCY DISCOUNT.

She doesn't know where he is living and how can she put an address on the form that she doesn't know!

Surely it isn't her place to find out his address as he doesn't want her to know who the lady he has been seeing lives!

Can they continue to refuse the discount?

I'll move your thread to the Loacal Authority forum where hopefully you will receive more help.

many thanks ploddeertom xxx

The council has to be satisfied that the discount their 'awarding' is genuine, as they have a responsibility to safeguard public funds. Equally they do have a responsibility to ensure that people are made aware of what discounts are available and are receiving them. As you can imagine anyone can say someone has moved out, so the council want to verify this in someway and a forwarding address is usually the easiest.

It may be worth your friend speaking to a senior officer or manager, they may well accept a written statement of some kind. Is there any other proof that she can supply that her ex-husband has left, e.g. emails, letters?

If all else fails she has the right to appeal to the 'Valuation Tribunal' to adjudicate on the matter.