Have I made a tax credits b*lls up??

DebtDodger

Hi everyone I'm hoping someone can help me...

My situation is that I am a single mother and my child is 2. When he was born I started receiving tax credits (working full time I earned about £18k the first year).

At the end of the second year (I.e. March 2010) I had been promoted and was earning £25 and figured I wasn't entitled anymore so I didn't reapply. They kept paying me because I didn't fill in a claim form so when the return date came up I got a letter in August that I owed them £900. I had used the money to pay off a high interest debt knowing I could repay HMRC interest-free in monthly installments (sneaky I know but please forgive me I'm just trying to get debt-free!)

anyway I've just done the entitled to calculator as someone in work mentioned that £29k (my current salary) isn't really high enough to get nothing and true enough, the calculator said I could be entitled to £53 per week child tax credit only.

Obviously this would really help me but I'm
not sure that it sounds right and was wondering if I should just wait until I get a P60 in April and then ring them to check (I've changed jobs twice this year so my pay slips don't tell me how much I've earned all year, just how much in my current role).

I think I've confused myself with all this so anyone who could input would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

no-oneknowsme

This problem seems to have started because you didnt fill in and send back your annual declaration , is that correct ?


I may well be wrong and if i am im sure someone else will correct me but i dont think you will be entitled to tax credits on an income of 25k for yourself and one child.

Try entering your details on the HMRC tax credits website to see what it comes up with.

zagfles

no-oneknowsme wrote: »

I may well be wrong and if i am im sure someone else will correct me but i dont think you will be entitled to tax credits on an income of 25k for yourself and one child.

Try entering your details on this site http://www.hmrctaxcreditsonline.co.uk to see what it comes up with.

You can get tax credits on income up to £58k this year. (reducing to about £41k next year)

no-oneknowsme

http://taxcredits.hmrc.gov.uk/

OP , click on the link to find the site i mentioned

DebtDodger

Thanks for replying. Yes it was started by that. My mum told me if you weren't entitled anymore you just didn't reapply because that's what she did (back in the 80s!) I foolishly believed her. Then when I received the payments I looked it up and they said it would cause an overpayment which I suppose I allowed knowingly as a small sort of interest-free loan :-/

I'm paying it back no problem now but although I have rent & childcare costs the childcare is paid to a family member so I figured £29k was a good salary the government wouldn't suplement that, then the online calculator confused me! I thought I'd be better coming here where i find intelligent people who explain things clearly!!

no-oneknowsme

zagfles wrote: »

You can get tax credits on income up to £58k this year. (reducing to about £41k next year)

Excellent ! Thanks zagfles.

DebtDodger

no-oneknowsme wrote: »

http://taxcredits.hmrc.gov.uk/ - 7k

OP , click on the link to find the site i mentioned

Thank you - the link isn't working on my iPhone but that's probably a software issue, I will try it tomorrow on a PC!

DX2

DebtDodger wrote: »

Thank you - the link isn't working on my iPhone but that's probably a software issue, I will try it tomorrow on a PC!

Doesn't work on my PC either.

no-oneknowsme

DX2 wrote: »

Doesn't work on my PC either.

Dx2 could you post a link for the Op as mine doesnt seem to be working.

DebtDodger

Just take out the -7k bit at the end of the link and it works now

no-oneknowsme

DebtDodger wrote: »

Just take out the -7k bit at the end of the link and it works now

Ahhh so thats what is was . Thanks debtdodger