Police powers

[didds]

strikes me the authorioties are on a hiding to nothing.

On the one hand they are derided at times for not knowing where ne're-do-wells actually live, or where once legal immigrants now live who have disappeared off the radar, yet on the other hand they might be accused of intrusion.

As a society we cant have it both ways.

As for non declaration on the electoral roll may in theory be illegal, i perceive its not acted upon because its pretty difficult to know when a declaration is wrong - short of actual knowledge of who is living at any specific address amongst millions in any council area, how could a council possibly actually know how many were living at an address anyway in any efficient manner? The obvious flags would be properties not paying any CT at all, or properties with only one registered person but not paying a single person CT rate, but otherwise an almost impossible task - short of (maybe?) cross comparisons of HMRC datbases, PNC, benefits systems, etc etc etc... which may not be possible under GDPR anyway (?).

didds

[Lootman]

As for non declaration on the electoral roll may in theory be illegal, i perceive its not acted upon because its pretty difficult to know when a declaration is wrong - short of actual knowledge of who is living at any specific address amongst millions in any council area, how could a council possibly actually know how many were living at an address anyway in any efficient manner? The obvious flags would be properties not paying any CT at all, or properties with only one registered person but not paying a single person CT rate, but otherwise an almost impossible task - short of (maybe?) cross comparisons of HMRC datbases, PNC, benefits systems, etc etc etc... which may not be possible under GDPR anyway (?).

I don't know what the authorities can and cannot discover. But I do know that in the 15 or so years that I have used a "brass plate" address for all my business post, I have only once been called out on it. That was with a sharedealing account - they wrote to me to "note that your address is a mail-only address and could you provide us with your home address as well for our records?".

Coincidentally we were about to move house so I gave them my old home address which, presumably, they still have on file.

[DrBunsenHoneydew]

To obtain a single person discount it first needs to be claimed. Lootman is saying no such claim is made with regards to the property concerned.

I know because I claim, but Lootman was writing I thought in general terms not specifically his situation.

Yes, for the purpose of computing the correct council tax, the council only needs to know the number of (non-student) adults living in the property and the name of who will pay it.

So the form they send my wife every year to declare the names of everyone who lives here is a government overreach in my view. As long as the correct tax is paid it is none of their business who lives in our house. I regard it is as a Big Brother intrusion into our privacy.

Note also that if you don't want to be on the electoral roll, then putting a name down on the council list may well raise a query. Theoretically it is illegal not to be on the electoral roll although it doesn't seem to be enforced, thankfully.

Both these rules are attempts at knowing who lives where, and one can take the view that is an unreasonable line of inquiry.

Not just adult students, but adults with Severe Mental Impairment get the exemption. Get a GP note!

You must register to vote if you’re asked to do so and you meet the conditions for registering, for example you’re 16 or over and you’re British or a national of an EU or Commonwealth country, unless exempt e.g. by having learning disabilities.

[Lootman]

You must register to vote if you’re asked to do so and you meet the conditions for registering, for example you’re 16 or over and you’re British or a national of an EU or Commonwealth country, unless exempt e.g. by having learning disabilities.

I certainly think it would be a mistake to put your name on the council tax list and then not put it on the electoral roll, or vice versa. You should either do both or neither, otherwise the chances are that the discrepancy would be flagged.

In my case I am neither on the council tax form nor on the electoral register, and it hasn't been a problem. As was mentioned on another current topic, the mandate to be on the electoral roll if eligible does not seem to be enforced by councils as any kind of priority.

[redsturgeon]

You must register to vote if you’re asked to do so and you meet the conditions for registering, for example you’re 16 or over and you’re British or a national of an EU or Commonwealth country, unless exempt e.g. by having learning disabilities.

I certainly think it would be a mistake to put your name on the council tax list and then not put it on the electoral roll, or vice versa. You should either do both or neither, otherwise the chances are that the discrepancy would be flagged.

In my case I am neither on the council tax form nor on the electoral register, and it hasn't been a problem. As was mentioned on another current topic, the mandate to be on the electoral roll if eligible does not seem to be enforced by councils as any kind of priority.

I thought I remembered you saying that you had voted in the referendum...

John

[Lootman]

You must register to vote if you’re asked to do so and you meet the conditions for registering, for example you’re 16 or over and you’re British or a national of an EU or Commonwealth country, unless exempt e.g. by having learning disabilities.

I certainly think it would be a mistake to put your name on the council tax list and then not put it on the electoral roll, or vice versa. You should either do both or neither, otherwise the chances are that the discrepancy would be flagged.

In my case I am neither on the council tax form nor on the electoral register, and it hasn't been a problem. As was mentioned on another current topic, the mandate to be on the electoral roll if eligible does not seem to be enforced by councils as any kind of priority.

I thought I remembered you saying that you had voted in the referendum...

No, the only time I have voted since 1987 (for Thatcher) was in 2010 (for Cameron).

I believe that I said here that I would have voted Remain in 2016 if I had voted. But I did not vote and in fact could not have done as I wasn't on the electoral roll.