Working Tax Credit Overpayment

dideverythingright

Hello,

I have been hit with a claim letter re returning an overpayment of working tax credit.

I earnt £9,500 from 2012-2013. Was getting WTC in that tax year (because in year 2011 -2012 I earnt roughly the same amount.)

I filled in the final earnings forms sent out in the Summer of 2013 and sent it off.

In August 2013 my hours reduced so I rang up and told them my change of circumstances. My WTC stopped and I got a four week run on. When I rang up - the operator did not say to me that I should have not been getting WTC, did not say I had an overpayment, and did not ask me what my earnings were for 2012 to 2013.

I restarted work in September 2013 (over 30hrs a week) and so got new claim forms. I filled them in with my details of what I earnt in 2012 to 2013.

A while later I got a letter saying I had not filled in forms for the April 2013 to August 2013 period (final earnings for the year 2012 to 2013 period) and therefore I had an overpayment.

I wrote back saying I had filled in the forms and sent them and included in my letter what my earnings for 2012 to 2013 were.

It appears that they did not get that letter because I then got another letter saying there was an overpayment. I rang them up and said I had orignally sent the forms off and anyway if they wanted to know what my final earnings were they could check the new claim forms I had filled in for September. They said they could not do that. I said they could check with the Inland Revenue. They said they could not do that.

I then got a phone call on my mobile from the overpayment department. The officer said that if I told him my earnings for 2012 to 2013 he would cancel the overpayment. I said since he had rang me out of the blue with no warning on my mobile whilst I was outside I did not have the figures in front of me.

I said look at the new claim form I had sent them in September or check with the Inland Revenue. He said he could do neither and since I could not provide him with the figures there and then on the phone, he would be making a final decision on the overpayment and that I would have to pay it back (it's £250).

I rang the Inland Revenue and got them to send me a letter with my earnings details for last year. I then rang working tax credit a few days later and told them my earnings. They said they could not put me through to the officers who decided the overpayments but they would send them an email.

I have now received a letter saying that they have made a final decision on the overpayment and i would have to pay them back.

I am annoyed because I did send them the final earning letter originally, on time when I was suppose to. They must not have put it on their system. I then sent them a letter about my final earnings. Again they must not have put it on their system. I am also annoyed that I filled in new claim forms in September 2013 and they could have taken the figures from those. I am also annoyed because the officer rang me out of the blue and because I did not have the figures in front of me he said he would make a final decision. If I had had the figures in front of me he said he would have cancelled it.

I only earnt £9,500 last year and the year before. I sent the forms off when i was suppose to and I told them of every change in circumstances when I was suppose to.

I cannot prove that I sent the forms off - I sent them by recorded delivery but then because I was paid WTC with no problem for 6 months after sending the forms off, I discarded the recorded delivery receipt.

What do I do??

I read somewhere that if your earnings did not change by more than £5000 from year to year then it shouldn't matter.

Please advise - do I Appeal ? Do I Dispute? Do I have no chance because I cannot prove I sent the forms off. Am thinking of making a freedom of information request to find out how many people have sent off forms but they have not been put on the system.

Thanks for any advice.

lolly291060

Fill an appeal form in,just google tax credits appeal as it wont let me post link
im afraid it is only call centres we call when we make claims and most of them need training as they don't know what they are on with,i too am appealing against their decision,and iv had 3 different reasons as to why mine have stopped ,had help off welfare rights officer filling it in ,good luck

lolly291060

believe me most i have spoken to don't know what they are on with they have made a right mess with my claim to which i am appealing, I have been given 3 reasons,one i have told them i am not a fostercarer FALSE,second i didn't tick the selfemployed box on my renewal FALSE i did renewal over phone and no tick box on form cos i have it, and third i did not reply to letter sent to me ,i have not received a letter or i would have responded, working tax credits stopped and bill for nearly £8000,