Council tax

[Sugar Ray]

I have just got hitched to my aussi girl and she has just moved in, just wondered if I could still get away with claiming the single person's discount(25%) as I can't see how they could find out - we don't bother with local election stuff

[havinmysay]

its not worth it for 25% id tell them coz if they find u out months later u'll have to pay it all back maybe a fine aswell x

[Ethel]

They will find out, believe me.

As soon as she signs anything official - they will know.

[sponsmith]

No chance they will find out!
Don't listen to those two.
How will they find out? The local government's are a shambles as it is, they've got other things to worry about without worrying about you! Thousands upon thousands of people live in Council owned accomodation with their spouse's (who claim to be single parents) and children, without declaring they work or paying rent/ council tax at all!
They don't find out about them do they?
"They will find out, believe me".... Nonsense!
Keep on with the 25% discount mate, even if you did get caught you'd just plead ignorance anyway, or say she was just dossing there for a few weeks.
Don't let the Guardian readers have you wasting your money.

[Mrs_Pegasus]

Personally, never read the Guardian.
The chances are they wont find out as long as you dont try for benefits.
Believe it or not they cannot run the Ctax database alongside the Electoral register to cross match although someone suspecting it can look it up.
I wouldnt be so keen to not go on the electoral role though, if you are ever planning on buying a house, or applying for credit in any form, the first port of call for the credit checking is your presence on the electoral role.
Remember that for every fraudulently claimed 25% discount is added to everyones bill in the end because they have to claim X from payers each year to make the books balance, so you are paying it in some format i.e. parking fees etc.

[Ethel]

I don't read the Guardian, but I do know that councils and official government department do swap / share information.

Every week people are in court for exactly this offence - and fined and the monies illegaly claimed recovered.

If your wife wants to register with a doctor, a dentist, get a driving licence or starts work she will be giving her address to government bodies.

A friend of mine has just this week had a visit from her local council because she lawfully claims this benefit. This is her third in two years.

And watch your back - somebody may just report you.

[sponsmith]

"Somebody may report you"....

How the hell would anyone know?

[Mrs_Pegasus]

It is pretty strict what data can be cross matched and I have unfortunately been presented with one of the reports from such an exercise and to be honest every spelling mistake, missed digit and the like comes up on the report! It is a mind numbing job and after a while the cost of employing people to check the report, make the calls and such like can soon outweigh the money being recovered.

[yummymummy]

I think it will depend on how good your council are at checking up on these things. I have worked in a few CT depts in my time, and apart from an annual review of the discount, and following up leads of potential false claims, there isn't any fantastic information sharing system that would pick it up.

I have dobbed someone in before, some people down the road were constantly having parties. I checked their account and noticed they were claiming it when there were 2 people living there, so it got taken off. Made me feel a bit better, the parties stopped as well!!