Tax Credit Overpayment Due To Ex Not Signing His Declaration

MhairiMcW1984

Hi everyone! This is my first thread and im looking for some advice!!

When i split with my ex in 07, i rang tax credits and informed them of the change and ended our joint claim! i then made a new single claim! In the June i recieved the joint declaration to sign. I rang tax credits and asked what i should do as i didnt see my ex anymore. They told me just to sign my half and send it back to them! I recently recieved an overpayment letter stating that i owe them over £650.00 as they couldnt get my ex to sign his half! I appealed and have just got a letter saying that they cannot write the debt off as they met all their requirements! However i feel i met all my requirements by informing them of all changes and signing my declaration! I feel im being punished for actually calling them up and answering their calls and as they cant supposedely get in touch with my ex(even though i know he recieves benefits) Do i have any chance of not paying? When i received the so called overpayment i was in receipt of income support so never received any extra money, only what i was entitled to! I read that i should offer to pay half though i still dont feel this is fair as i was entitled to that money and why should i be penalised for splitting with my ex! Could the CAB help? Sorry for rambling on, i just dont know what to do and any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks
Mhairi

Marcheline

Hi Mhairi

Not too sure about the answer to your question, but if you look here http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/benefits/problems_with_benefits_and_tax_credits.htm it says you can appeal the decision/ask for it to be looked at again?

MhairiMcW1984

Hi Marcheline

I will def need to try something else! It says on the letter that i cannot appeal unless i have new evidence or i feel they havent looked at the evidence i presented! Its so annoying that any of it needs to be paid back as i dont class it as an 'overpayment' but especially that it is all left to me when am raising the kids without no help from their father! I am now married to a wonderful man who supports me and the kids and i feel its unfair tpo ask him to pay this back! We only have his wages and £200 a month child tax credit so i dont know whether i can fight it by stating that i have no income to pay it back and have read that they cant take any from my current tax credit claim!

Hoping to get to CAB this week to ask before i ring them back up!

taylor72

MhairiMcW1984 wrote: »

Hi Marcheline

I will def need to try something else! It says on the letter that i cannot appeal unless i have new evidence or i feel they havent looked at the evidence i presented! Its so annoying that any of it needs to be paid back as i dont class it as an 'overpayment' but especially that it is all left to me when am raising the kids without no help from their father! I am now married to a wonderful man who supports me and the kids and i feel its unfair tpo ask him to pay this back! We only have his wages and £200 a month child tax credit so i dont know whether i can fight it by stating that i have no income to pay it back and have read that they cant take any from my current tax credit claim!

Hoping to get to CAB this week to ask before i ring them back up!

I don't want to be the bearer of doom and gloom but my friend went through almost the same scenario and despite appeals and the help of John Denham she still ended up having to pay it back - grossly unfair as it will take her years to clear a debt which I don't believe she should have - she pays £10 month for a £2k debt!!! - sorry but don't expect a miracle here