Tax Credits Compliance Team letter

twinnymum

Hi everyone

My husband and I separated 18 months ago permenantly. Today I recieved a letter from the tax credits compliance team which is asking me to contact them to confirm that I am making the single claim correctly - as they know alot of people do not tell them about their partners.

I know I have nothing to worry about - my ex does see his children numerous times during the week, and he lives with his parents which can be proved.

Has anyone else recieved this letter today?

thanks

iamana1ias

twinnymum wrote: »

Hi everyone

My husband and I separated 18 months ago permenantly. Today I recieved a letter from the tax credits compliance team which is asking me to contact them to confirm that I am making the single claim correctly - as they know alot of people do not tell them about their partners.

I know I have nothing to worry about - my ex does see his children numerous times during the week, and he lives with his parents which can be proved.

Has anyone else recieved this letter today?

thanks

A quick read of the forum (or a search under 'compliance') would tell you that something like 100,000 identical letters have been sent out. You are not alone.

callow

I recieved one the other day. I did a bit of research and found they are sending out 1,000s of these letters to single claimants.

I called them they just wanted to make a few checks. I gather they were looking at online databases (the first one they used didn't have any of my bank details attached to my address so they had to make another check). They wanted to find out if my ex was associated with my address. Also asked children's ages etc.

twinnymum

Thanks for the above. Slightly concerned because I actually live in my ex's house as he thought it was only right because I had the twins, however, I do not get any other benefits besides CTC and WTC so the house is a separate matter - I hope?

sam9393

ive received one of those letters yesterday has anyone else had one as i hate receiving things like that

Loopy_Girl

sam9393 wrote: »

ive received one of those letters yesterday has anyone else had one as i hate receiving things like that

Why? If you've nothing to hide then there's nothing to worry about. A quick phone call and it's all finished with *confused smiley*

sam9393

its not that ive got anything to hide but the letter makes you feel guilty when you havnt done anything wrong,i could do without the stress as have one child with cancer and i sufferfrom anxiety

Loopy_Girl

Sorry, still don't see the 'stress'.

It's one letter asking you to phone a number and confirm a few details

AsknAnswer2

This recent letter doesn't simply require a person to phone and confirm a few details. It outright accuses a person of fraud, and makes a statement that if they put their claim right now, they won't be charged a penalty. They have been sent to approximately 200,000 single claimants at random. Random compliance letters should not infer a claim is fraudulent and that a penalty will be charged. Interview Under Caution letters, yes. Random compliance letters, no. These letters have shifted from being "we need to check your claim" to "your claim is incorrect and we are going to charge you a penalty" where there is no indication of such.

I'm in the process of taking this further as a complaint. I certainly don't appreciate being accused of fraud when I have spent a significant amount of time consistently chasing up the department to get them to lower my payments having declared a change in finances months ago. I've had the previous compliance letters and had no issue providing them with every piece of information they asked for, just as I have no issue providing it this time around, as I have nothing to hide. What I object to is being accused of dishonesty where their records show the complete opposite. And yes, I have copies of the records - I requested them to gather information they hold on me to see if there was any indication which would have prompted a letter with such an accusotory and threatening tone because I didn't want to complain about something if there was legitimate reason for it, and because I wanted to see if it was a random check or not. What I find from my records is no legitimate reason, and just a random check. It isn't the checking of my claim I protest about, I agree that they have an absolute right to do that.

Loopy_Girl

VERY o/t but your avatar makes my tummy feel all funny !!

Loopy_Girl

AsknAnswer2 wrote: »

This recent letter doesn't simply require a person to phone and confirm a few details. It outright accuses a person of fraud, and makes a statement that if they put their claim right now, they won't be charged a penalty. They have been sent to approximately 200,000 single claimants at random. Random compliance letters should not infer a claim is fraudulent and that a penalty will be charged. Interview Under Caution letters, yes. Random compliance letters, no. These letters have shifted from being "we need to check your claim" to "your claim is incorrect and we are going to charge you a penalty" where there is no indication of such.

I'm in the process of taking this further as a complaint. I certainly don't appreciate being accused of fraud when I have spent a significant amount of time consistently chasing up the department to get them to lower my payments having declared a change in finances months ago. I've had the previous compliance letters and had no issue providing them with every piece of information they asked for, just as I have no issue providing it this time around, as I have nothing to hide. What I object to is being accused of dishonesty where their records show the complete opposite. And yes, I have copies of the records - I requested them to gather information they hold on me to see if there was any indication which would have prompted a letter with such an accusotory and threatening tone because I didn't want to complain about something if there was legitimate reason for it, and because I wanted to see if it was a random check or not. What I find from my records is no legitimate reason, and just a random check. It isn't the checking of my claim I protest about, I agree that they have an absolute right to do that.

That's not what the OP and subsequent posts said. No one has mentioned letters of these kind.