Tax Credits Underpaid

TimPH

Hi,

My partner has two children and was provided Tax Credits for her youngest during 2008/9 which was fine until she realised that her son was also of an age for her to be entitled to Tax Credits.

She wrote to the Tax Office advising of this, and was waiting for a cheque to cover non paid / underpaid Tax Credits.

She has now recived a letter from the Tax Office saying ' Unfortunately, the 31st July 2009 deadline for providing information for 2008/9 has now passed and we finalised your 2008/9 tax credits award. We sent you a final decision notice on 29 June, 2009 and the law does not allow us to change this'

Any advice on ways of challenging this welcomed !

Thanks,

Tim

AnxiousMum

There is no way to challenge it as far as I know. They sent you an awards notice obviously when the claim for the year started, and then a finalised notice at the end of the tax year to show how it all balanced out. On the application form, it does ask for you to provide details for all children under the age of 20 who may qualify. Has the additional child never been on the claim? I don't realise how a child can be 'missed'.......

TimPH

Thanks, the older child was claimed for in the preceeeding year, and she renewed it on the phone - just not realising that they took the olderr child off and he was 16 / 17.

TimPH

..........I am bringing this to the top again , hopefully someone can help ?? !

[Deleted User]

There isn't anything anyone can do to help. Once a claim is finalised the time limit to adjust it and get back any money has passed.

It is the responsibility of the person claiming to check their award notice and inform of any errors, like a missing child. If they failed to do that and the claim was finalised it's too late.