No future

herestothefuture

Morning, Im a new member so please be gentle. I am going out my mind with worry, can't sleep, feel hot and cold, sick and not eating (which could perhaps be a good thing).

I have received a child care compliance letter which I understand a lot of people have and have requested my child care providers provide me with the breakdown which they are in the process of doing. I have however provisionally worked it out and I remember providing them with my estimated variable figures as pay more in school holidays but I cannot for the life of me work out how I got the figures I provided. I cannot find my workings and I seem to have over estimated by £17 per week. hand on heart I believed I told them the correct figure, I would not lie as know they can check at any time so there would be no point. My daughter has also gone to family members/friends or I have had odd days holiday during school holidays. The amount my child care provider is going to confirm therefore is going to be different to the amount I estimated.

Whilst stressing about this I have also realised that I completely forgot to tell them by the 31st Jan this year, his actual profit from self employed. Whether it was because tax return done in the last week and we were stressing about getting it back I don't know. I estimated 3k when his profit was just over 7k. (I had estimated it based on previous years).

My p60 also shows a increase in pay of 2k as I have been able to do some over time but realise that this can be given in my declaration this year.

So with everything they are going to throw the book at us. I swear all are genuine mistakes, my husband and I work so hard and although we would love another baby know we can't afford one and time running out as we are late 30's.

I was going to write a letter explaining as above to compliance officer and enclose this years declaration and offer to pay overpayments back but I can't sleep for worry, worry what they think of me, what they will do. All we ever wanted was to work hard and give our child good ethics but I know with payback we are going to struggle.

I don't know if the letter is asking for last 5 years since we started claiming, or just to 2013. I have always told them actual figures/changes previously but what if I made a mistake on them too. I'M sure I didn't and have always told them what I thought was right but my mind is now running away and I am worrying about everything.

Please please please help. I am so scared:(

sammyjammy

They are not going to throw the book at you. You provided estimates, these are what you expect the cost/profit to be, you can now provide the actual figures and will do so, your tax credits will obviousyl be adjusted accordingly.

Stop worrying.

midnight_express

Just tell the truth. Your estimates were wrong, but system is flawed so this happens all the time. They will allow you time to make the repayments.

herestothefuture

I know my worrying is not rationale, I know what I would be saying to others but I keep reading the letters and all it mentions is penalties and stuff. Life is hard enough which I'm sure it is for everyone. I just know now I should've told them about his actual earnings by a certain date but I honestly forgot. I'm worried they will now look into last five years, which I have nothing to hide but it will be a nightmare to get all the documents they will want as had three different child care providers.

They also don't seem to have said which year. It just says top of letter ' tax credits award to 2013', do they mean all just this year for child care or. Just asks for date started care which I did change last June or July so are they wanting all years or just my present one. Sorry if Im not making much sense.

Icequeen99

herestothefuture wrote: »

I know my worrying is not rationale, I know what I would be saying to others but I keep reading the letters and all it mentions is penalties and stuff. Life is hard enough which I'm sure it is for everyone. I just know now I should've told them about his actual earnings by a certain date but I honestly forgot. I'm worried they will now look into last five years, which I have nothing to hide but it will be a nightmare to get all the documents they will want as had three different child care providers.

They also don't seem to have said which year. It just says top of letter ' tax credits award to 2013', do they mean all just this year for child care or. Just asks for date started care which I did change last June or July so are they wanting all years or just my present one. Sorry if Im not making much sense.

Sounds like that is your 12/13 award - so they want 6 April 2012 to 6 April 13.

On the childcare - I wouldn't worry because childcare costs are estimates. You need to try and work out why you estimated what you did.

On the income - the biggest issue will be the self-employment. If you were supposed to give the figure by 31 Jan 13 then that was your 11/12 figure so it could affect your 11/12 and 12/13 awards.
Whether they can amend the 11/12 now will depend on what has happened and when your notices for that year were issued. 12/13 can obviously be amended.

They rarely charge penalties, so again I wouldn't worry too much but if you do get one then you may need to discuss how to pay it.

The lesson is to check everything over very carefully.

IQ

herestothefuture

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

I wish I wasn't such a worrier. I have just taken my little girl to school and my mind started whirring again. Do you think I am best just writing to them with explanations, not that I can really explain as I have tried and tried to work out how I got my figure but I can't. I try to tell myself as only 7 pound over the ten pounds you are allowed to drop without telling them that they won't think this is a big thing and then I have read other comments regarding a disregard or something, could that be applied to my 2011/2012 mistake of not calling them to confirm. Oh I don't know, why do I feel so sick. Why does your body react like it does. Will they believe that it's a genuine mistake. I couldn't bare for them to think I am a fraudster . My husband and i have aways worked since leaving school, I've taken on cleaning jobs when we first got a house years ago as we needed extra money, in addition to working ful time and only thing I have claimed is these stupid tax credits which confuse the he'll out of me and I have made the biggest mistake ever.....please can some put my mind at rest x

georgiasdragons

I am in the same position and ive given up worrying, I wask ok till nursery provided me with copies of all invoices marked paid, i tallyied the amounts up and they are out i have written a cover letter to state that what my estimates were originally and how i come to this figure.

I think its silly to pay someone childcare in advance i believe they should check properly in the beginning.

I have heard that overpayments are taken back out of the next years payments or longer if required.
Im just waiting for the overpayment letter then ill make an offer.

I have also written an explanation of my estimates for the coming year too so hopefully they will still pay me based on that.

try not to worry yourself sick.
It is what is is and you will end up paying some back like me but it can be spread over time.
Any penalities we can both argue against as like Icequeen said we over estimated we wouldnt get it back at the end if we underestimated

brians_daughter

Stop worrying, you have over estimated your childcare- unless your care is the same amount each and every week then you have no other option but to estimate. This is what you have done. Wait for the figures from the child care provider, send them to the tc and speak to them about your mistakes. They would rather you be honest and upfront so it can be sorted. Honestly, you will feel a million times better once you have discussed it with them

georgiasdragons

what we need are people to post outcomes on here.
Oh and mine will be slightly more than yours.

I renewed over 5 weeks ago and when i chased was told the childcare letter is on its way to get invoices ready by the compliace team well that was weeks ago and its still not come they said it was issued 16th may and are sent in two week batches so even more agonising wait!

herestothefuture

Thankyou all so much, I do appreciate you taking the time to reply.

It is good to hear other people's stories as I feel very alone at the moment. In my 'Sane' moments I think as you have said, what will be will be, they will just take it back (and then I worry how we will cope then lol) but guess will just have to pull belt in even tighter. You just feel so bad, haven't been on holiday for years, I give her more kisses and cuddles than ever but feel she is missing out. HUsband needs a break but we can never afford for him to have a week or so off. As he is self employed, people let him down last minute and we end up short. Never seem to get money built up as always something.

I just think I was down anyway and when I have come home to this letter it has just added to it. I wish I was normal:o

georgiasdragons

I feel the same, my daughter says how all her friends go spain disney land etc etc. why cant we go!! it pulls at the heart strings.

Nothing planned for this year and with prices going up for everything its tough. I will take two weeks of in the summer holidays and try to do cheap or free days out!

Im grateful for tax credits and to have a job but with gas and electric putting my prices up by 9% i think its time to talk to my boss for a pay rise!