tax credits urgent help needed.

sinstar

These pages on the HMRC website are very useful:

This one goes into detail about the effect of the fact the overpayment is from a joint claim -

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/things-go-wrong/overpayments/separated-joint.htm

And this one explains her options if she is having difficulty paying back any overpayment -

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/things-go-wrong/overpayments/difficulty-repaying.htm

whitewing

I was certainly told (not by anyone official but by sensible people on this site) that payments can be spread out monthly. I doubt it would be written off if it is owed.

I think they scare people so they are motivated to do something. It's a horrible shock though.

[Deleted User]

sandraroffey wrote: »

thank you all so much. i will talk to her about this in the morning. i will get her to disute it at the same time as requesting the copies of her awards notices.
Ask for the written explanation too.

if, at the end of the day, she HAS been overpaid, can she still make an offer for small payments??
Yes, but they will want to complete an income & expenditure list first.

someone told her that you can have overpayments written off if your ncome is low and it would cause harrdship to pay it back.
TCO will not write off the payments, they may suspend the recovery or take very small payments. The money is public funds so they will need to recover the payments.

Make sure your daughter act quickly as waiting until court proceedings doesnt look good - she will need to dispute any overpayment within TCO procedures.

whitewing

I think the rude chap may have been from a collection agency that they use. I seem to remember similar threats now you come to mention it. Unfortunately, they don't seem to have full access to your details, which doesn't help when to try to discuss it.

The tax credit people themselves are much nicer to deal with so she doesn't need to worry about how they'll be when she rings for the forms.

sandraroffey

she has phoned them today and requested copies of all her awards notices and has told them she wants, in writing, reasons why this over payment has occurred, and told them that she is disputing it all.

once everything is received, we will go from there.

thanks to you all for your help.xxxx

hamstercheeks_2

sandraroffey wrote: »

the very rude and intimidating gentleman then asked her for a credit card or bank card to take it all off of there and then!!! it .

they don't take it froma credit card - find this a bit odd

sinstar

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/payinghmrc/taxcredits.htm

That is a list of the ways you can pay back an overpayment that is in direct recovery, some of them would require HMRC to know your bank/credit card details (eg. for setting up a direct debit).

they don't take it froma credit card - find this a bit odd

Comments like that are the opposite of helpful, it is so vague yet quite overly suspicious and could scare someone for no reason.

hamstercheeks_2

sinstar wrote: »

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/payinghmrc/taxcredits.htm

That is a list of the ways you can pay back an overpayment that is in direct recovery, some of them would require HMRC to know your bank/credit card details (eg. for setting up a direct debit).



Comments like that are the opposite of helpful, it is so vague yet quite overly suspicious and could scare someone for no reason.

ahh i see what you mean - to performa creditcheck?

no didn'tmean to cause suspicion just that when i had to pay back overpayment cc wasn't a method - didn't even get asked for cc details

cazbie16

From what I've just read her expartner shares the responsiblity of paying off the overpayment as well - does she have an address she could give them.

It also says repayments can be spread over 12 months or longer if you discuss with them and they can also delay starting collections.

hamstercheeks_2

i wd fight it - especially being a student mum of twins definitely!

i know they expect you to pay back the overpayment over a year but surely in certain circumstances they can make it a longer time- lookat some who have to pay benefits backat £1 for 70 years etc

let us know how she gets on