Withdrawal from tax credits for 2014-2015

CLucia

Hi all,
I hope you are all well - I just have a question regarding tax credits. Situation is this - I was claiming last year (2013-2014) and have received my Annual Review which appears fine, however my income went up to beyond the threshold to receive tax credits (as I advised the tax credits office) and so for this year (2014-2015) I am to receive a NIL award according to my provisional tax credits notice and I am also subsequently part of auto-renewal, so I didn't have to complete a declaration. Obviously on the 2014-2015 paperwork it states I have an overpayment from 31st March (when my income increased) to when they stopped my payments. Fortunately I took all the overpayment money out because I knew I'd have to repay it! My question is : I no longer want to be part of the tax credit system and I want to withdraw from tax credits and pay back the overpayment outstanding- I'm on a NIL award for this year anyway and I do understand the pros and cons of leaving tax credits but I just do not want to claim them, NIL award or otherwise - can I just write to them now (before 31st July) stating I want to withdraw from tax credits and then they write to me asking for the overpayment back, which is what I would like as I've already pulled the money out? I only wonder because I'm an auto-renewal case and I don't actually want to renew! It states on HMRC website that anyone can leave tax credits at any time for any reason - surely I can do that prior to July 31st as I can't be bothered having to deal with them again come April/May/June 2015.


Hope someone can help!
Many thanks

Icequeen99

They used to have a section on the HMRC website that explained this, but since the transfer to GOV.UK this has disappeared. You can read the text here: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/keep-up-to-date/renew-claim/leaving.htm

It still applies - if you skip to the bottom it explains you can leave before 31 July.

Obviously staying in the system protects you if you have a fall in income or if you are getting the disability element it can help keep entitlement for the future. But I understand why people might not want that.

You need to ring the helpline and tell them you would like to withdraw the claim.

IQ

Iheart

I was going to second what IceQueen says - we left last year in June and were advised we had to leave before July 31st.