Tax credit overpayment 2012-13

peppa-pig

We have been informed of an overpayment of TC for 2012-13. I have appealed this decision as I told the TC people on the phone of the change and was informed it would make no difference to our claim until the next tax year as it is based on previous years earnings. I told them at the end of March our income for 12/13 so as to stop any further payments being made.


I then received a letter informing us of the overpayment. I disputed this straight away. I chased the progress on at least 5 occasions and was told we would receive a reply by October 2013. Nothing arrived, so I chased again, and was told it was being dealt with and sorry for the delay.


Now today I have received a letter from them stating the overpayment still stands.


I believe this is still their fault due to incorrect information supplied on the original phone call. Where do I stand with this as it has taken them nearly a year to come to this decision which I think is an excessively long time to deal with the dispute especially as I chased it up so many times.


What should I do next?


Thanks

Icequeen99

After you told them the change, did you get a new award notice and did that award notice show the new income information?

What does the dispute response you have received actually say?

IQ

peppa-pig

During the original phone call, I informed them of a change of address and also change of income details. they said the income would not make any difference until the next tax year.


they did not record change of income on the award notice received in sept 12. they say the guidance notes included with that advised me of reporting income changes. in the march when I confirmed the income for the year as I had been previously advised in September to do, they sent another award notice telling me I had been overpaid.


I acted on instructions received in the September with regards to income changes, so I feel I have been incorrectly advised by them.


they say that they met all their responsibilities and I need to pay it back.

Icequeen99

Ok that makes more sense - so they didn't actually record the income change because they said it wouldn't alter your award?

Have you requested a copy of the telephone call? If not, that is what you need to do. In the meantime send the dispute back and say that they need to listen to the relevant phone call where met your obligations and HMRC failed by giving you incorrect advice.

IQ