Please could you provide examples of councils that you either have personal experience of, or know of, that have allowed housing benefit claims to be made as a single person when one of the partners holds a spouse visa with no recourse to public funds?
Living in an area with a low migrant population, my local council here in rural Carlisle are uninformed of immigration rules and are refusing to let me claim my housing benefit as a single person while listing my wife's NI number and any income and savings in the recommended way, which, of course, will result in breach of my wife's visa conditions.
I have taken this up with my MP, and to establish precident in this area, it would be helpful to furnish Carlisle council with examples of other councils with more experience in dealing with these situations who have implemented this Recommended practise.
So, if you have any examples please could you name that council and if possible provide a contact name and number (even if privately to me) of the person in that council concerned who my local council maybe could call to verify the practise.
By refusing to do this, Carlisle council are it seems to me, denying me my, legitimate, right to refuse benefits I am entitled to (ie for me wife) but do not wish to claim. If I wish to claim for me and not my wife why should I not be permitted to do so?
Thank you In advance.
Simon
