Tax credits overpayment to ex-girlfriend of 18 months ago..

Oldernotwiser

carl0s wrote: »

She was already receiving. I had no interest other than to tell her that she must tell them of her changed circumstances, as per the TV adverts..

She could have stopped receiving them, that is all.

You misunderstand me. As a couple, you could have decided not to apply for tax credits. You don't have to take money just because it's on offer!

As an afterthought, did you never sit down together and list what you each earned as well as the benefit money, then decide who was going to pay for what and on what basis?

carl0s

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

You misunderstand me. As a couple, you could have decided not to apply for tax credits. You don't have to take money just because it's on offer!

As an afterthought, did you never sit down together and list what you each earned as well as the benefit money, then decide who was going to pay for what and on what basis?

No not really. I don't think it was meant to be. I look back now and just sense stress and clutter! Ahhh... even though I'm technically homeless, I'm still taking in the relief.

carl0s

halibut2209 wrote: »

See, that's where we don't agree. The children benefit. Not you, not your ex.

If there is an underpayment, then in theory you should notice and get it sorted through HMRC. If you don't notice and continue to support the children, then you are doing right as a parent.

Your first paragraph is only true in cases where the latter part of your second paragraph isn't, i.e. your two ideals contradict each other.

("if the money up/down makes no difference, then you're doing right", hence the money up/down doesn't benefit the children or not. All it does is affect the adults' bank balances, unless, we're not doing right as parents, or rather, we're living on the breadline..)

DX2

carl0s wrote: »

No not really. I don't think it was meant to be. I look back now and just sense stress and clutter! Ahhh... even though I'm technically homeless, I'm still taking in the relief.

So you have learnt a very valueable lesson, no?
Don't shack up with people with your eyes & mouth firmly shut.

carl0s

Anyway we could argue the fairness of this system indefinitely, but I think it's fair to say that I feel there's a little unfairness, or at least unreasonableness surrounding the circumstances as discussed.

carl0s

DX2 wrote: »

So you have learnt a very valueable lesson, no?
Don't shack up with people with your eyes & mouth firmly shut.

Yep, I sure have!

zagfles

AfterDark wrote: »

Don't think the 25k disregard comes in play once a claim has been ended. As the joint claim would have been ended and a fresh claim would have been made for her single claim.

But that fresh claim is nothing to do with the OP. The overpayment arose during the original (joint) claim, and for the part year of that joint claim, the disregard would apply to the difference between that year's income and the previous year's.

carl0s

I do feel less fed up and frustrated at life as a whole now. Thanks. It does help to talk about these things

Hopefully there will be nothing else this month.

02/01/11 - £147 parking ticket. Leasing company paid the private parking ticket that should be ignored, after agreeing to ignore it.
10/01/11 - £850 radiator rips out of car
15/01/11 - £416 Child Tax Credits.

and I have actually spent a few hundred quid on gadgety projecty stuff, prior to the radiator incident.

You don't have to be a money saving expert to realise that the first two weeks of 2011 have been pretty disastrous for this money saver, who is hoping to build up house deposit money for a July 2011 purchase

DX2

You did put something on the end of it! You don't want any CSA letters dropping through your letterbox.

carl0s wrote: »

I do feel less fed up and frustrated at life as a whole now. Thanks. It does help to talk about these things

Hopefully there will be nothing else this month.

02/01/11 - £147 parking ticket. Leasing company paid the private parking ticket that should be ignored, after agreeing to ignore it.
10/01/11 - £850 radiator rips out of car
15/01/11 - £416 Child Tax Credits.

and I have actually spent a few hundred quid on gadgety projecty stuff, prior to the radiator incident.

You don't have to be a money saving expert to realise that the first two weeks of 2011 have been pretty disastrous for this money saver, who is hoping to build up house deposit money for a July 2011 purchase

carl0s

DX2 wrote: »

You did put something on the end of it! You don't want any CSA letters dropping through your letterbox.

LOL not likely