Quick question RE Tax Credits back pay, help please??

singlemum1983

Hi, hope someone can help.
I am currently paying back £9000 to TC from a claim where I didnt declare my partner moving in straight away. Just wondering, when we made a new seperate claim in July this year were we entitled to back pay for 3 months like you usually are?
I know that that what we were doing was wrong but we were in a lot of debt and trying to get ourselves straight, however we are now paying back every penny of the £9000 including the £5500 that was childcare costs.
Does anyone on here know if there are circumstances where you aren't allowed back pay and is it worh pursuing? Would certainly help pay the debt back alot quicker if we recieved it...
Thanks in advance
x

compoff

Yeah, you should have been entitled to backdating. Phone them up and request it.

singlemum1983

Thanks, compoff.
Rang up just now. Lady I spoke to was very nice but said as my single claim ended the day I made the new claim, I'm not entitled to backpay as this would mean I was on 2 claims together?? Not really sure why Im not getting anything even after talking to them but it amounts to almost £3000 so not sure whether to let it just go that easily. I told her I would be happy for it to come off the £9000 debt and I wasnt really expecting a big fat cheque out of it but nothing they can do appartently.
Anyone else had anything similar to this, all advice gratefully taken.
Thanks

[Deleted User]

Call again. Your single claim would have been terminated the day you declared your partner. But it would have been terminated from the date he moved in, not just from the date you called.
If the date you told them he moved in from before the date you called, you should be entitled to up to 3 months backdating.

singlemum1983

Thanks so much, just been looking at a few other cases similar to mine on here and someone had given the same advice to a lady with near identical situation.
So, just to get things straight before I ring. They ended my single claim in July but I told them he moved in with me and the kids around end of November, (hence my massive overpayment), so my single claim was terminated by them from that date??
This is what I thought all along and what the lady in CAB told me.
Really hope I get it sorted out, otherwise I am likely to be paying this money back until Im about 50!!
Thanks for the advice people x

suelees1

In reality then your award ended the day he moved in. As subsoniccoyote says there's no reason why you shouldn't be entitled to the three month backdating.

glitterkitty

not everyone is entitled to backdated money. its usually only backdated to the day the claim form is recieved by TCO. Backdated money usually only comes into it with new babies (new CTC claims, backdated to babies DOB or 3 months) and joint-single claims, not the other way around.

[Deleted User]

Anyone can claim backdating as long as they still meet the qualifying conditions during the period they are requesting the backdating.

singlemum1983

Thanks guys (or girlies!!) for the replies, will keep you posted. I will ring in the morning.
x *crosses fingers*

singlemum1983

Oh, I am so confused!
Just rang them back up again to enquire, told the lady I spoke to that my claim single claim was terminated as of Nov and my new joint claim started in July so I was advised my CAB to request backdating. They put me on hold for like 20 mins then just said no, you only get backdated to the date we received your claim form (9th July). When I asked her about new claims when you have a baby etc. it gets backdated 93 days (ie. not just from when they received the form) but she was very unhelpful... Not sure what to do for the best now??
Should I ask to speak to a manager/supervisor??
I just feel like I am being fobbed off because I committed fraud, I feel like they are making me beg for this money which I believe we are entitled to like everyone else. Yes, what we did was wrong but I owned up and Im now paying back every single penny. If it were the other way around and I owed them £3000 I'm sure they wouldn't let it go.
Any advice??
Thanks again..

SuziQ

What was the reason that you had no award from Nov-July? I had this happen when I was told I had been overpaid 2 years ago (still in dispute) as far as I was concerned I still had an ongoing award which was being witheld to pay back,however it turned out that wasn't so and I lost all the award from Oct-May and was refused it.(even had my MP involved.)You may be in the same position I'm afraid,they follow the rules to the letter now.