Tax credit - holding incorrect information

bettydaviseyes

I've posted before about this but would really like some advice as to who I can get to take responsibility for incorrect salary information the tax credit people hold for me. Someone in an unknown department is adding my pension p60 figure to my salary p60 figure and giving the total as my earnings from employment. I have asked the pension department why this is as my p60 clearly says pension on it. They don't know why this is as and they have said it's the responsibility of tax credits to look at it. Spoke to tax credits they say its not their responsibility, they go one the figures they have been given by them. I was on the phone for well over a hour being passed from pension to tax credits. I'm so frustrated.

The advice I was given was to add my pension amount to my salary amount and use that figure as my earnings as an employee. It then ties up with the figure they have. Then under other income dont include this pension figure.

They are happy for me to do this even though it's effectively a false declaration of employment earnings. They have said that as long as the final figure is correct they will accept it.

I don't want to put wrong figures in wrong boxes just to correct their mistake but as no one is taking responsibility I have to do it. I would be really grateful if someone has any advice as to who I need to get to talk to to get this pension taken off my salary so that I can enter it correctly under other income. It happened last year as well so will no doubt happen next year.

Sorry I've just realised how long this is:mad:

zagfles

They're seriously suggesting you make a false declaration because their information is wrong :eek:. Really? They just get worse and worse.

For a start - you get a £300 disregard for "other income" which includes pensions, so you'd likely get less if you declare it all as employment income.

Secondly, do you really want to sign a declaration you know is false?

Personally I'd ignore their recommendation for you to make a false declaration, and complete the declaration accurately. This might result in some hassle, if they do as last year the numpties could end up ignoring the employment income you declared and using the figure they have including the pension, and adding the pension you declared! You'd then have to send them the evidence that you are in fact correct.

bettydaviseyes

Yes, they seriously told me to declare both figures as employee earnings so it will match up with their figure. I won't give false information just to cover a mistake from them, but it really angers me to know that if I give them the CORRECT information I will definitely be checked again, made to feel a cheat, have to provide wage slips etc etc and it won't be sorted until October. It beggers belief !

Icequeen99

BB is right. The employer and pension providers pass data to the tax side of HMRC through the Real Time Earnings Information system (RTI).

The tax credit system draws information it needs from the RTI system.

What I am not clear about is whether someone is doing this manually OR whether it is a system problem. Have you any idea?

I agree with the others. Do not submit wrong information. Submit it correctly, if they refuse it just lodge an appeal. I would also lodge a complaint about their advice.

Have you thought about contacting one of the tax charities to see if they can help? (such as LITRG or TaxAid)

IQ

Icequeen99

blondebubbles wrote: »

I'm not sure how tax credits actually get given the details. I'm trying to find out.

If they simply get the RTI data then they wouldn't know it was a pension as it is not reported differently.

It is reported differently I believe. On the RTI submission there is a box to tick if it is a pension payment or annuity.

When tax credits get the data, it is separate as I have seen several auto-renewals where they have listed it separately.


IQ

bettydaviseyes

Thank you for trying to find out who gives them this information - I'm beyond frustrated. I forgot to say that I have two pensions (both small) but it's just one of them they are adding to my salary (both are clearly marked pension)

bettydaviseyes

Thank you ice queen99 but thankfully I don't need a tax charity. I am a widowed single parent and I have my salary, pensions, wpa, wtc and small amount of savings, so I'm not on a 'low' income as such when all added together (it's certainly not a large income though) !

Icequeen99

bettydaviseyes wrote: »

Thank you ice queen99 but thankfully I don't need a tax charity. I am a widowed single parent and I have my salary, pensions, wpa, wtc and small amount of savings, so I'm not on a 'low' income as such when all added together (it's certainly not a large income though) !

I realise that, but I wasn't thinking about advice I was thinking more because they may be interested in hearing the issue.

IQ

bettydaviseyes

I've put everything in writing and will include the relevant p60s as evidence. Will wait and see what they reply.

I will be sending off my renewal as soon as I receive the pack - the information I provide won't match but will be correct!

bettydaviseyes

Sorry to be a pain with regard to this but I've just received my renewal pack. It says under in bold under step B your income...

"Income for 2014/2015 that your employer(s) or occupational pension provider(s) told us about"

Does it say on everyone's "employer or occupational pension provider". Have they just changed mine so that I don't include this as other income ?

Thanks I don't want to be on the phone yet again just to ask the question

Icequeen99

bettydaviseyes wrote: »

Sorry to be a pain with regard to this but I've just received my renewal pack. It says under in bold under step B your income...

"Income for 2014/2015 that your employer(s) or occupational pension provider(s) told us about"

Does it say on everyone's "employer or occupational pension provider". Have they just changed mine so that I don't include this as other income ?

Thanks I don't want to be on the phone yet again just to ask the question

It says it on all of them - that is the only data they get from the RTI system.

Is your renewal an automatic one or do you have return figures by 31 July?

IQ