Hello,
Some advice needed please.
I'm writing on behalf of my friend who has no Internet access, any additional info needed please let me know and I'll ask.
When my friend became pregnant she was given temporary accommodation (in the later part of her pregnancy) OUTSIDE of her local borough as that's all that was available at the time. This was organised through the homeless persons unit IN her local borough.
She moved in to the temp accommodation in October 2011 so during the tax year 2011/2012. The housing benefit was organised by her local authority at the homeless persons unit (so she didn't actually do it herself). Most of the rent was paid for housing benefit and friend paid her contributions towards the rent and wasn't in any arrears.
My friend was then given her permanent accommodation from 2nd January 2012 to present date.
Now after all this time she gets a PHONECALL from council tax benefit saying she owes £470 for unpaid council tax from the temporary accommodation from October 2011 to 2nd January 2012. When my friend said that can't be right as she was on benefits at that time and her housing benefit was all present and correct and HB and CTB usually come hand in hand (?) she was told ''no, with 'temporary accommodation' it's up to the tenant to organise the CTB separately and now as it's after 6 months it cannot be backdated''.
When my friend asked why she hadn't been contacted about this before she was told that the CTB dept had tried to call her on her mobile number (which is the same) and couldn't get through as there was no voicemail facility (which is untrue).
The CT department are now demanding the whole amount of £470 and £120 of that immediately or face prosecution. She has a young baby and just doesn't have that money to pay out, especially as its incorrect.
Additional info,
She never received any letters during her time at the temporary accommodation address to say there was CT owing at the property.
She hasn't received any letters to her current, permanent address for unpaid CT at the previous property (the PHONECALL today was the first she'd heard of it).
Why didn't they search her via her National Insurance number to write to her at her current address (which she is receiving HB and CTB for) and inform her of the (incorrect) unpaid CT at the previous property?
Had they have contacted her sooner it could've been sorted out but because its gone past 6months it can't be backdated apparently (how convenient).
Does it make any difference that it was the homeless persons unit who filled in the forms for HB originally and failed to complete a CTB form?
Does an unanswered phonecall suffice as a proper form of contact these days or should they have sent a letter (to either property) instead?
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Some advice needed please.
I'm writing on behalf of my friend who has no Internet access, any additional info needed please let me know and I'll ask.
When my friend became pregnant she was given temporary accommodation (in the later part of her pregnancy) OUTSIDE of her local borough as that's all that was available at the time. This was organised through the homeless persons unit IN her local borough.
She moved in to the temp accommodation in October 2011 so during the tax year 2011/2012. The housing benefit was organised by her local authority at the homeless persons unit (so she didn't actually do it herself). Most of the rent was paid for housing benefit and friend paid her contributions towards the rent and wasn't in any arrears.
My friend was then given her permanent accommodation from 2nd January 2012 to present date.
Now after all this time she gets a PHONECALL from council tax benefit saying she owes £470 for unpaid council tax from the temporary accommodation from October 2011 to 2nd January 2012. When my friend said that can't be right as she was on benefits at that time and her housing benefit was all present and correct and HB and CTB usually come hand in hand (?) she was told ''no, with 'temporary accommodation' it's up to the tenant to organise the CTB separately and now as it's after 6 months it cannot be backdated''.
When my friend asked why she hadn't been contacted about this before she was told that the CTB dept had tried to call her on her mobile number (which is the same) and couldn't get through as there was no voicemail facility (which is untrue).
The CT department are now demanding the whole amount of £470 and £120 of that immediately or face prosecution. She has a young baby and just doesn't have that money to pay out, especially as its incorrect.
Additional info,
She never received any letters during her time at the temporary accommodation address to say there was CT owing at the property.
She hasn't received any letters to her current, permanent address for unpaid CT at the previous property (the PHONECALL today was the first she'd heard of it).
Why didn't they search her via her National Insurance number to write to her at her current address (which she is receiving HB and CTB for) and inform her of the (incorrect) unpaid CT at the previous property?
Had they have contacted her sooner it could've been sorted out but because its gone past 6months it can't be backdated apparently (how convenient).
Does it make any difference that it was the homeless persons unit who filled in the forms for HB originally and failed to complete a CTB form?
Does an unanswered phonecall suffice as a proper form of contact these days or should they have sent a letter (to either property) instead?
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.