Child tax credits - what happens?

kelloggs36

Last year when I renewed my claim, the previous year I had earned less than a whole year's salary, so when added to my hubby's income, it came to about 41k PA which gave us the £10 odd per week. I told them my annual salary - only worked pro rata.

Now obviously this year I have worked a whole year, so my award for this year (provided Tories don't scrap it yet) will be about £3 per week based on our joint income but because renewals aren't due yet, we are currently being overpaid by £7 per week.

Will they want it back, or will they just reduce what we get for the rest over the year to balance it out?

If I continue to work all year and it takes us out of the award altogether next year, will that be the end and the case closed? I will renew as normal and will expect to get a nil award, but will that get the case closed or will it stay open forever?

Please no comments about how disgusting it is that we get some as our income is so high!! I would like some actual help in avoiding an overpayment please!!!!!

alwaysonthego_2

Please can we stick to the op and not go off topic!


I was in the same situation so I have saved the money that I believe that I have been overpaid and put it in a savings account but in my experience they usually reduce your award so you will recieve less to balance it out.

I do not think that your case closes and you will have to renew every year.

gravitytolls

Have you been on the 'Entitled To' website to check it out. You put in all the figures asked for, you can jiggle them as much as you like to see what different hours etc. would make to you, and it tells you what you should receive. This way you'll know if you have been overpaid, so hopefully you'll have a better idea of what you'll lose. As the previous poster said, they don't generally ask you to repay, but reduce your payments.

Emmamumof2

If you will earn too much and get a nil award you can now request to withdraw your claim and they will stop sending you papaerwork, I phoned and did this last week to withdraw our claim as we've been overpaid by quite a lot last year and we would only be due a very small amount for the coming year and we really dont want the hassle with TC so we've withdrawn our claim instead.

kelloggs36

AT the moment, entitled to says I am entitled to about £6 per week, but we are being paid £10 odd per week. I guess that it will reduce to less than £6 per week until we catch up. I have read horror stories about people who thought they would not renew their claim as they didn't want to claim any more and were asked for all the previous year's award back - that is what I want to avoid. I shall have to wait to get a nil award and then not renew the next year? Will that work as there won't have been any payments in the year previous?

Emmamumof2

If you anticipate will get a nil award for the 2010/11 tax year ring now and withdraw your claim and they will stop your payments now to avoid you accruing an overpayment, it wil take effect from the beginning of this tax year - so any payments you had after 6/4/10 will have to be paid back.