Council tax - single person discount cancelled wrongly

[surrey_36]

Hi, I am really confused and worried about this situation - if anyone can have a read and let me know initital thoughts would be really great, I've been single since last year and been claiming council tax single person discount since we parted. I was working up until August last year and then went onto income support as have 2 very young children and found it too difficult to work/look after etc on my own. One baby 13 month,the other 2.5. The local council recently have been saying that they believe my expartner is still residing at my address, he is not, he has severe mental health issues and we went our serperate ways last year. He does however has lots of contact with the children which he visits mainly at my home (he is a little unstable to take them off on his own)

I have explained this to the council but they say because his bank etc are still registered to this address, they have to assume he is still living here.

This is my first confusion - how do they know who his bank is? They said they ran a credit check on him but I thought you had to get authorisation from the person whos the account holder to do this? They said they ran a credit check and found' lots of' accounts registered to this address. Bank, sky tv - that's it I think.

 

 

NEXT - I get A letter from the DWP (department work and pensions) saying the need me to go over there for an interview. I must my take bank statements. In the interview they warn me that someone has 'made an allegation', has reported me. Not many people apart from close family and friends know that I am currently receiving benefits so I don't believe its anyone I know. It sounds to me like to council called up.

 

 

NEXT - my ex who is currently on the local council housing register, loses his banding, so where as last week he was quite far up the list for getting a council property, he now is 'not eligible' at all. This is devastating for him as currently sofa sofing and was hoping to get sorted soon. The sad thing is the only places he can crash are people who drink and smoke a lot and being round that situation is just not good for him.

 

 

I just dont understand whats going on but I feel as though they are talking to each other and rather than telling me the truth just cutting all the benefits and ex partners eligibility for housing.

 

 

The thing is that my ex partner is not in a good placed, recently diagnosed with a mental disability he is struggling to cope, We are still friends and I support him as much as I can but there's only so much I can do. He desperately needs housing as it is impossible for him to live with anyone else.

 

 

I feel really angry , I know they have people ripping them off and they need to make their checks that fair enough, but they know his situation and they know my situation,but they have stopped my single person discount - unnecessarily, and they have take my ex off the housing register which is unnecessary.

 

 

It just all seems a little odd!?

[abc123def]

Not odd at all. A person would normally change their address for their accounts to their new address and if they are sofa surfing so that is difficult then they need to find a friend or relative who is not claiming benefits so that he can use their address as a care of address. Failing that, the DWP can provide an adress for mail to go to as they do for homeless people. Him having his accounts set at your address creates a financial tie between you and muddies the waters as to whether you are a couple. It's simple to reectify, ask him to change all of his addresses to somewhere else so you cut off all financial links with him. Once that is sorted he can reapply for a place on the LA housing waiting list.

 

The DWP can run checks on accounts held at your address. If any household bills are in his name or are paid by him then they will definitely deem you to be a couple.

[citizenkain]

the council/dwp don't need your permission to check your bank details,not if you are on benefits,when you get the benefits you sign approving this