I am helping my friend who is a lone parent and her daughter is 4yo. She has been living with a housemate since April 2012 and claiming Tax credits. She informed all the benefits providers and her housing benefit has been reduced and she has not been receiving any council tax support. She swears she phoned Tax Credits on several occasions that she had a housemate. Anyway she received a letters saying that she owes £6000 as she does not qualify for a single person claim. She is a bit out of space (in a good way). as requested, she send them all the bills and rent agreement where both names are on without explanation. So they made their own decision.
I am gonna request all the info they hold on her under Data Protection Act to see what they got.
Also we are going to send a letter explaining that he was only a housemate and he has not provided any support to her or her daughter only paying his share of bills and rent.
Anything else you could advice please. I was trying to make a search on it but could not find much. Any advise appreciated.
If you completed a tax credits form recently, is there anywhere you can put they you got a housemate?
Thank you