Tax Credit Overpayments - Please Help

sarah6916

I am desperately hoping that someone here might be able to give me a little advice. In Aug 06 I moved house and unbeknowst to me HM Revenue & Customs have been trying to contact me since. I very stupidly forgot to change my address with them, to be honest it didn't even enter my head, I know now how costly it might be!!

Basically they have been trying to contact me with regards to signing a form for the end of the tax year and due to the fact that I did not sign the form and return it are now demanding that I repay £7084.46!!! I have tried speaking to them with regards to it as my circumstances did not change other than my address but I was told that it was too late to do anything about it now and that I would have to repay the amount. I am absolutely amazed that although I was entitled to the money that I have to repay it in full for not signing a form!! I do accept that I should have informed them of my move and failed to do so but to be penalised a whole years tax credit for it is unbelievable, I am still in shock.

Has anyone else experienced this? Does anyone have any advice on how I should proceed? I would be really grateful for any advice at all.

Many thanks in advance

Sarah

mum2one

Hi.
The first stepyou need to do is go to the Citizens advice bureau, take all your documents with you
I know in theory that July 31st was the cut off date, fro tax credits

Try writing to them explaining that your situation finanically has not changed offer to provide documents (bank statments, wage slips etc), and that moving house was extremely stressful and that it was a mere oversight. Send it by special deleivery (cost £4.95 but that guarentees the letter willbe delievered by a set date and time, its the only reliable method of posting),
If you can not get any where with the CAB try ringing around some local solicitors and c if you can get a free half hr consultation to see where you stand, and I would also consider contacting your local MP, as they certainly should be able to take the case up for you.
Sorry if it seems Im sending you in all directions, justtrying toget you to cover every available option, that way if one fails you have got the others on the go.
Goodluck

hotblu

Hello,

From what information you have given, I am assuming that TCO are reffering to you not completing and signing your annual decleration for the 05/06 tax year. You would have originally recieved the decleration anytime from April 06 onwards. Last year you would have been given until 30th September 06 to return this form. If by that date you have not completed it and returned it then they would have terminated your claim and your payments would cease, but even then you have 30 days to contact them to restore the claim. If this is the case, I dont understand why it is only now that you have realised you have been overpaid, bear in mind this on the assumption that it is with regards to your annual decleration. If it is, all payments would have ceased around September/October 06, so what have you done payments wise since then?
It is my understanding TCO will not remit an o/p if it is for the above reason, yes you where entitled to the money, but one of the main agreements with TCO is you will complete this form every year, because this was not done your payments have now been forfetied.
I would advise you get COP26 & TC846 to dispute the overpayment, and also contact your local CAB office, but to be honest, this will just help delay repaying it.

Regards,

Hotblu

Ps, All the above is on the basis the annual decleration was not completed, if this is not the case then please give further details and will try advise of other ways to deal with situation.

hotblu

Hello... Back again,

Just realised you said you moved August 2006, does that mean you are reffering to this years decleration or last years decleration? If it is last years all the above applies. If it is this years, you have got 30 days from the date of the letter advising you your claim has been terminated to restore it - and if this is the case get back on phone and tell them to sort it out.

HTH

Hotblu

alison999

I dont understand why theyre making you pay it back. Surely there must be more to this story? I moved and forgot to change my address with them too. They stopped my payments b/c the address they had 4 me was not the same as whats on my P60 but I rang them (the day my payment didnt go in) and it got reinstated within the week. also, why didnt you ring when you didnt get your renewals package? or if thats the form youre erferring to, why didnt you call when you didnt get your reply, telling you what your future payments will be?

creamtea_2

[EMAIL="Money@mirror.co.uk"]:o mailto:Money@mirror.co.uk[/EMAIL]

Anyone who has had problems with tax credit administrative errors leading to overpayments no fault of their own to contact the mail please.

Also see

http://www.taxcreditoverpayment.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

an excellent site - loads in same situation