Tax credit single / Joint claims

rafhelp

This post was written in 2009 does it still hold true today?

There are two parts to the deal....their part and your part. If you are happy to receive the money you have to stick to your side of the deal.

Your side of the deal states (among other things) that you must inform them if you begin to live with a partner. It says absolutely nothing about informing them of someone staying over. Have a look at the correspondance from them. It will state things such as "tell us if childcare payments fall by £10 a week or more", "tell us if you begin to live with a partner" - I can guarantee you will find nothing which states you must inform them of someone staying overnight. That would interefere severely with human rights.

I have been investigated many times. I am a lone parent, work full time, I claim working tax, child tax and a (teensy) sum of childcare. Every investigation has been because they think I'm living with a partner. I've been happy to provide the information they request because I've nowt to hide. I do have a boyfriend. I refer to him as my "partner" but he is not my partner for tax credit purposes. He lives 40 odd miles away, has many commitments outside of me and my life, as I have outside his. He stays one night a month (if that).

When I got word of one such investigation, I rang up the number to query it, because they had asked for information which I had already provided during the last one and for the same period. I was greeted by a man with a very unfortunate attitude who stated they could investigate me as much as they liked. I explained I had no issue with another investigation, I simply wondered if they had got the dates wrong as they had already covered them and I wanted to provide the correct information to help them conclude the investigation. He asked if I had a partner to which I replied "Not for tax credit purposes" her asked what I meant so I explained the situation. His response was to ask further questions like how long I had been with my partner which I refused to answer because it was none of his business. He also refused to accept that my OH only stayed one night a month. He then went along the lines of "And have you declared this relationship" - I confirmed I hadn't. I got an earful of attitude (to be fair he sounded really young, probably an over enthusiastic trainee), and he stated I could be in "in lot of trouble"....

"Really..." I asked "Why's that then?" he replied "Because you haven't declared your relationship" I reiterated that I was under no obligation to unless the relationship was a partnership which as I'd explained, it wasn't. I also advised that it did not state anywhere on my tax credit correspondence that I have a requirement to declare a relationship, the closest being that I should tell them if I begin to live with a partner, which I wasn't. The man (whose name escapes me - not that I'd place it on a public forum anyway) continued to dispute my responses, insisting I had to declare any aspect of a courting relationship. I asked him to send a letter, quoting the exact piece of legislation that states unless I stay celibate I must declare each and every date I have and each and every sexual encounter to the Tax Credit Office. I was then accused of being abusive and he terminated the call.

Boy did he get a shock when I phoned from work in my "official capacity" to advise his boss of our conversation!! His boss identified a "training need". The investigation went ahead and guess what? They discovered I wasn't receiving enough tax credit and promptly increased my award!

Take it from me.......you have no requirement to declare it. And I hope my little reminince sets you at ease as well as give you a good laugh!

Caz3121

sounds like nonsense but you would get a better response if you post on the "Benefits and Tax Credits" board as this one relates to Income Tax