Tax credits overpayment :-(

mylittlepeony

I am so upset about this and really don’t know what to do next.

I was selected for review over the childcare payments that I received last year and to make sure future payments were correct. I was with my childminder from May – August but we parted ways as I was not totally happy with her and my mum then looked after my daughter for me. I told them all of this at the time. They wanted invoices, receipts, childcare contract, bank statements none of which I had. In fact my childminder never gave me an invoice or receipt, she would just email me the hours and total amount. I did have a contract but I can’t find it and am not sure if I threw it away or not now.

I wrote them a letter explaining all of this and they’ve written to me saying they do not accept my reasons and that they were cancelling all the payments I received for 2011, therefore giving me an overpayment of about £4,000, which they say will take from future payments but I’m not sure how they will do this as I’m only entitled to £200 a year now since my earnings went up and I doubt very much I’ll be entitled to anything in the next year or so. I’m assuming they will be after me at some point to repay this back, but it’s so unfair as it’s not a real overpayment. I really did have a child in childcare whilst I went out to work full time. I’m a single mother so only have my income to support us all plus maintenance from my ex-husband.

I’ve not been sleeping well and cannot concentrate at work with this hanging over me. I had just started to see the light at the end of the tunnel as I'd almost cleared the debt that my ex had let behind and now I have this.

I’ve begrudgingly emailed my old childminder today to see if she still has a copy of our contract in her records which I might be able to use, I’m not holding out any hope she will respond to me to be honest. I’ve also changed bank accounts but am going to call into my old bank tomorrow as the account is still open to see if they can print out my statements from last year so that I have some proof of the payments going to her. I’m so annoyed as the advice I was getting from friends was to forge invoices and receipts from her but I didn’t want to be that dishonest – now I’m wishing I had been.

What else can I do? If it was a true overpayment, I’d hold my hands up but it’s not. Thanks for any help in advance.

FBaby

Don't panic.you've failed to prove payment to a childminder it is only fair they should assume you didn't pay anything. Why should they just believe you? To be fair it us not common to pay such amounts monthly without requesting receipt.

However you do have evidence. of course your old bank will new able to provide statements and you say you have emails with dates and amounts paid. surely if the two match can show the name on the emails is that of a person officially registered as a childminder they might reconsider their decision.

deedee71

The same thing happened to me and it's not good news I'm afraid. I had no paperwork from my childminder who moved away from the area so I'd no way of getting the info needed.

I'm paying back a huge amount at £50 a month - will finally be free in July 2016. I will never claim tax credits again.

Cornish_piskie

mylittlepeony wrote: »

I am so upset about this and really don’t know what to do next.

I was selected for review over the childcare payments that I received last year and to make sure future payments were correct. I was with my childminder from May – August but we parted ways as I was not totally happy with her and my mum then looked after my daughter for me. I told them all of this at the time. They wanted invoices, receipts, childcare contract, bank statements none of which I had. In fact my childminder never gave me an invoice or receipt, she would just email me the hours and total amount. I did have a contract but I can’t find it and am not sure if I threw it away or not now.

I wrote them a letter explaining all of this and they’ve written to me saying they do not accept my reasons and that they were cancelling all the payments I received for 2011, therefore giving me an overpayment of about £4,000, which they say will take from future payments but I’m not sure how they will do this as I’m only entitled to £200 a year now since my earnings went up and I doubt very much I’ll be entitled to anything in the next year or so. I’m assuming they will be after me at some point to repay this back, but it’s so unfair as it’s not a real overpayment. I really did have a child in childcare whilst I went out to work full time. I’m a single mother so only have my income to support us all plus maintenance from my ex-husband.

I’ve not been sleeping well and cannot concentrate at work with this hanging over me. I had just started to see the light at the end of the tunnel as I'd almost cleared the debt that my ex had let behind and now I have this.

I’ve begrudgingly emailed my old childminder today to see if she still has a copy of our contract in her records which I might be able to use, I’m not holding out any hope she will respond to me to be honest. I’ve also changed bank accounts but am going to call into my old bank tomorrow as the account is still open to see if they can print out my statements from last year so that I have some proof of the payments going to her. I’m so annoyed as the advice I was getting from friends was to forge invoices and receipts from her but I didn’t want to be that dishonest – now I’m wishing I had been.

What else can I do? If it was a true overpayment, I’d hold my hands up but it’s not. Thanks for any help in advance.

Why didn't you just do all that when you were first asked for proof? That seems really odd to me, you could have avoided all this worry. As for wishing you'd taken advice from friends to forge invoices and receipts - well, actually I won't even go there ...

HMRC were absolutely correct in not accepting your reasons for not having documentation to prove £4k worth of childcare payments - after all, anyone could say the same and rake in a lot of money with no come back. You must be able to see their point.

dseventy

When you handed over the care of your child to this childminder, did you not ask for receipts? Or a bill?

Sounds really wierd, not suprised you are being looked into.

D70

krisskross

Surely you had to prove the costs at the beginning of the claim?

Would be rather worrying if they simply took people's word as correct when huge sums are being paid out.