School admission address checking

[Bbqlady]

Looking for some advice on a tricky situation. Long story short it has just emerged that somebody I know has used my address to get their child in to a school within my catchment (outside of theirs) without even asking. It came to light recently by chance (they did not disclose the info).They have confirmed the place already. What I want to know is, do all boroughs cross check addresses or do some just accept your address is accurate on good faith? And at what point do they cross check? From what I can see you have to provide evidence at application stage but there’s no way that could’ve been done without my knowledge as surely they would’ve needed some documentation? I am hoping that cross checking is to come and at that point it will come to light but I am concerned it has already got to the point of confirming. I am not looking for advice to report them etc. I know I can do that. But if it resolves prior without my involvement that would be preferable. It’s a complicated situation with some other issues so I just want to know the likely outcome.

DC1’s secondary school was oversubscribed, but we weren’t asked to provide extra proof of address after the school place was offered.

However, there was a section in the application form that said that the council would check the details we’d provided against council tax, electoral registration, and other council records to confirm that the child was resident at the address provided.

I’d presume that the council would check for discrepancies between those records and the personal details given on the form when schools are oversubscribed, but I’m not certain.

If they do routinely check, then it may be that the council will investigate this person anyway, as presumably the council tax / electoral registration etc for your address will have your details and not theirs.
But even so I’d be inclined to report them for fraudulently using your address anyway. Especially as you mention having pre-school children, I’d be worried about it causing problems further down the line with their school applications.

There are all sorts of reasons why you need to report this. What if they do a home visit or what if the child has an accident or something and they need to contact the parents urgently. Or if the child is older what if you get a welfare visit due to attendance etc. Just do it "innocently" by ringing them and telling them you think a mistake has been made because you've received a letter but there is nobody with that name at your address.

I had to provide council tax bill proof. Is it a random acquaintance, or something like a cousin, step/half sibling?

You need to let the school and council know because you yourself can get accused of fraud

My two both have home visits with the school. Their teachers (2 of them) are coming to visit them in their home environment at the end of June.

I reckon it's SIL and DH/DP is complicit

I was thinking similar, it realistically would need someone living at the address to make it work. If this was spot on then obviously the op has other things to worry about as well as the fraud being committed at her address, she also has a DH problem.

I'd be careful here, OP. If you keep your mouth shut for your 'friend' after finding out she's used your address fraudulently then you could be implicated further down the line. It's fraud, at the end of the day.

You need to report it.

Family member, then?

Absolute twuntery.

You need to report this. You are not aware of the fraud and if you do not report you are complicit and that could back fire on you.

That's really, really unlikely. It's not going to affect future legitimate applications with the school, either. If the address was not changed and the same person was down as a contact as well as applicant (the eAdmissions system only allows for one parent to be the applicant, for example), that would link them on the school system.

Unless this is a second home address for a SC, not updating it would be absolutely ridiculous for the parent making the application - if nothing else, because it could be used as evidence by the other parent making a claim for child benefit or that the child actually lives with them permanently/should have an order made that they live with the parent because all evidence shows that to be the case.

Not that I encourage this sort of thing, but rather than the dire warnings of the OP being done for fraud and scaring her, if anything, it would be to her advantage in the future due to sibling criteria usually being either 'living at the same address'. Obviously, don't do that, that would be false details and the younger child could have the place withdrawn, but having her address used without her consent is not in any way going to get the OP in trouble now. Assuming it is the step family situation, at any rate.

Most LA systems automatically cross reference applications to council tax accounts where the number is provided these days, as it's faster and more cost effective than paying staff to sit there sifting through badly scanned documents. The sooner they all catch up with this, the better.

By all means, the OP can notify the council and say 'I've received a letter but the child doesn't live here' and keep her head down when the shit hits the fan. But she's not at risk of getting in any trouble herself, now or in the future.

Then they have asked but not told the OP which is stupid.

I believe they usually cross reference with council tax but... we had to provide proof of a new address when we applied because we were moving. One of the acceptable "proofs" was a confirmation letter from a relative or friend or partner if you were moving in with them so wouldn't have a tenancy agreement. Maybe they forged a letter from you or your DP/DH was complicit and wrote a letter for them?

Thanks @NeverDropYourMooncup for your considered response, that makes me feel better! This has only just happened so I’m waiting it out a little with the hope it resolves before I steam in. I’m not familiar with the admissions process so was hoping this would just be ironed out as it progresses but can see that things differ by borough.

Also the complexity of politics (that I can’t go in to on here as they are identifying) makes it a whole lot harder to just make a report. It’s not SC or anything like that, not that close and my partner is not complicit as suggested by others. Trust me, to build the whole picture I’d need a whole thread 😂

But they wouldn't have known the number of applications when they initially applied so may have decided it would be safer to use a closer address.

If there are still spaces now, you reporting then shouldn't lose them their place. It's only if their fraud deprived another child of a place.

I would return to sender the letter as "not known at this address".
I would then have no further involvement in it at all.

This was my initial thought tbh

For me, the very fact that you only found out when a letter dropped on your doorstep rather than them being upfront and honest that they used your address, I would be inclined to contact the council to say you have received a letter in error and no one of that name lives there and let them deal with it.

It goes without saying that lying to secure a school place is unacceptable but it is also a massive abuse of a friendship/relationship to do this without consulting you. I don't know what any implications could be for you personally (I doubt there would be any tbh) but I wouldn't want to wait and find out.

This is a good idea or phoning them and saying that you think you've received it in error. I would definitely do something about it as it might have implications when you apply for school places for your child.

I also think RTS is factual and the council can deal with it as they chose/deem appropriate. Anything else and you run the risk of either being complicit or being the one that reported them.

Agree, return it as received in error. You can always say you assumed the surname/address had become confused (if the are a shared). Has the family on question moved recently or plan to? Is the letter from school or the LA? If the latter might they already have suspicions perhaps.

we had that when dc started school.
thanks to a corrupt council leader we were added back to our previous address over and over.
it was flagged at school application and we had to provide further documents as proof of our residence.

This would be my thought.

Don't put yourself at risk of various complications.

Whoever has done this won't necessarily know who has spotted the attempt at fraud.

In our borough you only have to be in catchment on the day you send in the application- you can move before they start school as long as you let them know you have moved. But we had to show proof of address. Any chance they have a bill for your house in their name? Like BT?

In our LA reception teachers and TA's visit the child at home. I had a visit last year and 3 years prior for both my DS. They make out like they it is in the interest of the child to meet their teacher in a home environment but I think it is also to check the home US obviously lived in by the child. It would be pretty hard to get a 4 year old to fake it.