I owe how much???.....

Kimitatsu

Sort out your budget first then when you call tax credits ask to be put through to the repayment team. They will go through your income and expenditure and sort out a suitable repayment for you that may make things a bit tight but wont make you destitute.

Be upfront with them and it will be fine.

passatrider

fiestychick wrote: »

Thank you passatrider. Very much xx

No problem!

I'm in a payment plan with tax credits from when I was self-employed. I contacted them directly and discussed what I could afford to pay. Ok, they did refuse my first offer but I explained my situation and told them that's all I could afford - they were very helpfull to be honest.

linzilou

Listen I know how you feel, is your partner still with you? either way he had to help, its wasnt up to just you to sort out your family income that why he is called a partner. You are doing so much by working and caring for children and If there were times during the year that he wasnt with you then write them down because maybeyou were entitled to the benefits at that time if he wasnt living with you? I would say make an appointment at the citizens advice as soon as possible let them help you, because it sounds like you really need help. Dont ignore it and bury your head because please trust me it will get better. Have you thought about aproaching a debt management company if things are really bad? try CAPS christains against poverty look under CAPS on the internet, they do sound really helpful, the dss are certainly not helpful my brother has had a terrible time with them they change their mind everytime he speaks to them so contact citizens advice or Caps or someone who can help you face this. Some town halls have a desk where they help you with benefit advice too. Please dont panic there are people who can help you, you are not alone and as long as you face it head on it will get better. Get all your bank statements together and seek advice. God bless you I will pray for you take care of yourself and your little ones.

CouponWoman

fiestychick wrote: »

Hi,

I would appreciate any help/response/support.

I'm sitting here shaking and crying and panicking.

My partner and I had an over payment from last year when we didn't send our renewal form off. Initially it was because they changed they way they did it and usually you didn't do anything if it was right. We then got a few letters but we were going through a very volatile time and it wasn't dealt with. My partner then moved out and I applied singly. He then moved back in (its embarrassing enough havi to explain the ins and outs about your private relationship on the phone when claiming) and was told I now had an overpayment of £1800. This was because I phoned tghem in Feb and said hes moving back in at the wekend and was told they couldnt do future dated claims and to ring back when he had ac tually moved in (seems set up to overpay you). They sent me a form out wheich I filled out and forgot about in my drawer at work. Admittedly I carried on spending the money weekly but then when I sent the form in got the overpayment. My partner has moved out agian. I didn;t want to ring to claim because its embarrassing but I'm not sure how amicable it will be. Our relationship is this way because I'm bad with money and it makes things very stressful. In the convsation I said I just want to make sure I'm not overpaid again as I need to sort these things out. I then explained that everything wiull be pretty much the same for now i.e. he will pay mortgage bills etc and I mentioned childacre comes from my wage via vouchers. There was a massive intake of breath and she said 'you should not be claiming anything with us - how long have you had them'. I said it was a while and she said in her words I would 'owe ALOT of money back'. She says you cant have both. I absolutely genuinely didn't knowe. She says I was told on the phone.

I'm so scared of being saddled with more debt and it now looks like any chance of future reconcilliation with my partner is gone. This wouyld be the final straw.

I feel very alone and don;t know what to do.

Have they put it in writing that you owe them money, because I sure as heck would want it in writing no matter what they say.

When you do find out exactly what you owe, you can then work out how to pay it back.

So make sure your benefits are correct now and once they are work out how much you can afford to repay.

Don't offer to repay more than you can afford, its not worth driving yourself deeper into debt with other bills to pay this debt.

It's not the end of the world, you know. You probably feel it is because your on your own and its stressing you out. Honestly you will get through it as do the hundreds, if not thousands, of other people who get into a bit of a muddle.

The benefit system is really messy and I think everyone forgets that the claimant has to rely on the info they are given and thats not always clear cut.

Also make a very detailed list of all your income, every little thing. Then work out your expenses, see if there really is anything you can economise with. It might be small amounts here and there but they can add up quite nicely and use this to repay the debt.

So try and relax a little, don't be so upset, you will get through it.

Take care
xx

cassie105

The first thing you need to do is make yourself a cup of tea sit on the sofa and have a bloody good cry! You are going through a tough time and have every right to feel sorry for yourself. But in the morning those 2 gorgeous kids are going to need you and you will get up and get on with your day you will ring tax credits and explain everything and tell them you need their help to get a Payment plan set up. Be realistic with them on what you can afford to pay back. Then you are going to go to the cab office and speak to them about your situation. Then when you wake up the next day you are on your new path it may seen like being sorted is a long way off but you just see each day as a step towards this. We all make mistakes bye get ourselves into difficult situations but remember you will always have your kids and a roof over your heads as long as you are honest with people and ask for help. Good luck xx

lorelai34

If you phone the tax credit helpline they have set guidance they have to follow regarding overpayments. If you ask for an explanation they must verbally explain it to you over the phone and if you are not satisfied with it verbally they must then send you out an overpayments leaflet and then if you are not satisfied with that you can then phone them back and ask for a written explanation. They will send a referral to the tax credit office and you should receive your written explanation within 12 weeks. If you accept that you have been overpaid you would need to contact the overpayment helpline and discuss repayment options however if you disagree that you should have to pay some or all of the money back you would need to dispute the overpayment.

sp1987

Worst case scenario you owe them a lot in repayments and have to pay it back. You already know you owe them an undisclosed amount so all that can really alter is the amount.

That isn't meant to sound harsh, more than the worst that it could be is what it already is.

You clearly do have difficulties with money as it is as you mention it is the reason for difficulties with your partner/ex partner. "Our relationship is this way because I'm bad with money and it makes things very stressful." If you are a bit dizzy with money now is the time to get it sorted out once and for all and you can start afresh and sort your finances out once and for all with your children as motivation.

You seem to need help with being more organised and you sound pretty stressed out as a person finances aside from your post with relationship difficulties etc.

I think the best part of the forum for you would be the debt free wannabe area. Lots of people there who have/are in various stages of tackling expenses/debt/relationship issues owing to financial worries. The benefits board is really only going to help you so far if your problems are related to how you cope with money and how stressed you are about money. I think you need to address that as much as what you owe.

Above all, please don't cry/make yourself unwell over money. It is only money and it can be sorted out eventually. If your partner won't stand by you because of your financial issues then maybe you are best without him as someone who only hangs around when the going is good won't be around much when you are infirm and retell the same story all day every day (I knew an old lady once who told me the same story about going to the beach with her late husband every week for the best part of a year before I learnt to ask her a question that did not provide scope for this story as she had 90 more years of life to tell me about than this 1 afternoon, lol).

DX2

rogerblack wrote: »

Something doesn't quite add up.

Did you actually read the OP's post? This has nothing to do with the DWP or with third parties.

My partner and I had an over payment from last year when we didn't send our renewal form off.

We then got a few letters but we were going through a very volatile time and it wasn't dealt with.

My partner then moved out and I applied singly.

He then moved back in (its embarrassing enough havi to explain the ins and outs about your private relationship on the phone when claiming) and was told I now had an overpayment of £1800.

Note there is nothing so far about how much the first overpayment from last year was.

They sent me a form out wheich I filled out and forgot about in my drawer at work.

Admittedly I carried on spending the money weekly but then when I sent the form in got the overpayment.

So now we are on three overpayments so far?

My partner has moved out agian. I didn;t want to ring to claim because its embarrassing but I'm not sure how amicable it will be.

Another change in circumstances, and the head in the sand act again.

In the convsation I said I just want to make sure I'm not overpaid again as I need to sort these things out. I then explained that everything wiull be pretty much the same for now i.e. he will pay mortgage bills etc and I mentioned childacre comes from my wage via vouchers.

So you have now told them that your partner has left again?