tax credits stopped, compliance letter received

bibliboo

Hi bspm, I have a two year old and a six year old. My two-year old also goes to nursery at the local school so I can get confirmation that both are attending.

bibliboo

FBaby wrote: »

Not in relation to self-employment.

As your partner lives with you, then we can assume that your claim is joint, not single? If single, then it would without a doubt explain the check.

Otherwise, it could be related to your self-employment status.

Have you been asked for any information already in the last few months?

No I haven't been asked before for this information ( apart from for my initial application a few years back), which is what stresses me that they're so confident in stopping payments without notice. They said on the phone that it's normal procedure and I shouldn't be worried, but that can't be right, surely? Had I not planned ahead for university and lived with parents, it would have been more of a struggle.

bibliboo

Icequeen99 wrote: »

But if they are stopping current year payments it can't be a s.19 enquiry as that would only relate to a previous year, it would have to be s.16 to stop current year.

IQ

skateykatey wrote: »

Sorry ice queen I'm confused; I haven't mentioned s.19? I agree with you, it can't be anything other than s.16 according to the timing.

Thanks for everybody's help! Much appreciated! What do s.16 and s.19 say about tax credits stopping?

Icequeen99

See my posts above which explain Section 16. Section 19 isn't relevant in your case.

To stop current payments (after finalising a previous year) they need to have reasonable belief that the award is wrong - they use this power at the end of an investigation. The only time they would use it without opening an examination of the claim first is where they have definitive evidence.

What you have received sounds like a Section 16(3) information request. Those are used where they think there is something not right but don't have enough evidence to stop the award.

It is certainly not normal practice for them to stop payments and then ask for information. Normal practice is to write to you, ask for evidence and then make a decision either to leave the award, amend it or stop it.

As I say you need to contact one of the charities I mentioned above for further help

IQ

bibliboo

Icequeen99 wrote: »

See my posts above which explain Section 16. Section 19 isn't relevant in your case.

To stop current payments (after finalising a previous year) they need to have reasonable belief that the award is wrong - they use this power at the end of an investigation. The only time they would use it without opening an examination of the claim first is where they have definitive evidence.

What you have received sounds like a Section 16(3) information request. Those are used where they think there is something not right but don't have enough evidence to stop the award.

It is certainly not normal practice for them to stop payments and then ask for information. Normal practice is to write to you, ask for evidence and then make a decision either to leave the award, amend it or stop it.

As I say you need to contact one of the charities I mentioned above for further help

IQ

Thanks once again ice queen99 for your help, and also to everyone else, I'm very grateful for your time and efforts it definitely was very helpful and I'll keep everyone up to date, It does sound like I need to seek advice and find out why payments have stopped, I may never know for sure. I just thank God that I thought ahead, and hopefully my student loans should come through in around a month, which will certainly help. I can't imagine how difficult things would have been if I didn't choose to study and move my family into my parent's house.

bibliboo

Hello everyone!
Good news. After finding and sending every document they asked for, they got in touch to say that everything is fine and I don't have to pay anything back . They never explained exactly why they stopped payments despite saying in the initial letter that they have evidence of me being overpaid.

Stressful stuff I must say but finally over with. They also picked the phone up straight away (every time) after I complained to the main tax credits helpline number.
Thanks once again to everyone for posting advice!