Are you sure you're single???

[ShitIForgotToUntick]

Letter from DWP asking me to consider whether I'm really single!? Been claiming CTC as a single parent for 8 years. Have been single for 8 years, and happily so. Am just agahst at the bloody cheek. It's almost as if they can't quite believe a woman could possibly live without a man. As you can see the letter details what constitutes a 'relationship', just in case i was confused . It then follows up with a vague threat of penalties, you know, just in case i was thinking about lying Needless to say it is now in the bin. I mean surely there isn't a woman alive who isn't aware of whether she is in a relationship or not? I am aware there are people out there who will be committing benefit fraud but i would guess those people would be unlikely to respond to such a letter anyway.
AIBU to find this bloody cheeky not to mention an insult to my intelligence?

Fucking hell. I hate tax credits. Yanbu

I wonder if they have got some wrong information from somewhere. I hope these letters aren't sent out generically to everyone claiming as a single parent!

Or perhaps there are people who are 'mistaken' on their benefit claims, and these letters have helped them claim correctly?!

That SO deserves a sarky response.

Dear DWP

It is with inexpressible horror and an enormous sense of gratitude that I write to thank you for your timely missive. Imagine my shock and outrage when I applied your parameters, only to discover that I DO have a partner. He lives with me all the time, even sharing my bed, and my close friends and family all consider him my partner for life. Rover and I......

Since when does dating a guy down the pub constitute that you must account for his earnings in your own tax claim? Jesus this government is fucked up. I didn't realise being in a basic relationship with someone meant they legally had to take over responsibility for your offspring and incomings and outgoings and household bills.

What a crock of shit

BS I am very tempted!

Assisinated I can only assume so, I'm not even dating.

BSJ

I have a friend who has no idea her (separated) marriage probably means the DWP sees them as a couple. This letter could mean she avoids a fine. It'll be so fraudsters can't say "I didn't know my on/off boyfriend counted."

It comes from a nasty undercurrent that single mothers shouldn't have sex.

The letter isn't from DWP. It says it's from HMRC... who administer tax credits.

Hazard a guess that someone has reported you as being in a relationship.

I would assume it's far more likely a generic letter.

I had something like that from Concentrix once. They thought my landlord was my partner. Took a shit ton of paperwork to convince them that he wasn't.

Are you 100% sure it's an official letter and not a nasty spam type letter?

I can't imagine who MyOther. I am a middle aged woman with zero enemies and i haven't so much as looked at a man in years. Unless DS's dad, who we haven't seen in 8 years, has done so as revenge for CMS recently doubling his pathetic maintenance payments . But still, i really don't think he's the type to do that, particularly as he himself has been under declaring his income for years.

Yes Penfold. It has my NI number on it.

I once had them accuse me of being in a relationship with my brother. Different surnames. Fucking idiots.

Although that letter is from HMRC and NOT the DWP - I understand that they are sent out following data matching.
Has anyone used your address for credit ?

Is anyone else registered on the electoral role at your address?
Its either that - or someone has reported you for being in a relationship that might not have been declared

I'm the only person at my address on the electoral role. I've lived here for 7 years. I genuinely think it's a generic letter. Unfortunately I don't know any other single parents to check whether they too have received one.

Just to clarify ... If you were having frequent and fun sex with a man (or woman) called 'Alex' (for the sake of argument - good gender neutral name there), but this person does not live with you and you do not share expenses (you 'go Dutch') are you or are you not in a relationship for tax credit reasons?

Best thing to do would be to speak to HMRC.

The DWP certainly do not send out speculative letters like this

My housing benefit was once stopped without warning, because I was accused of moving a man in. I lived alone. I had apparently been 'confused' with someone else - no other explanation or apology despite causing significant stress & financial issues.

So DWP are basically saying that to claim tax credits as a single person you have to not be in any relationship at all even if you aren't living together.

My eldest is an adult, I hope they don't write and accuse me of an incestuous relationship

It's a standard letter, often sent out randomly by HMRC setting out the circumstances where you should be claiming as a couple not a single person. It is surprising how many people claim as a single person but are a couple for HMRC purposes. There are many urban myths of what constitutes couple in tax credit / benefit claims.

HMRC are obliged to investigate a certain percentage of claims. Tax credits are awarded on very little evidence therefore anyone who claims benefits or tax credits should expect to provide some evidence from time to time.

Concentrix were a company from Hell and were eventually sacked by HMRC, due to a sustained campaign from the single parents who were being investigated. Well done those women, the harassment that those families suffered was a disgrace, the incompetence from that company was unprecedented.

Oh fucking hell...

So even a boyfriend that your "friends and family see you as a couple" would have to be reported to them now??

BSJ Classic!

ceecee it does say if i am 'confident' i am single to ignore it which is what i was planning to do. I would assume if the letter was sent due to malicious reporting it would be more personal and state something like 'we have reason to believe' or some such.