I fear I'm in deep trouble

Mum7772015

Hi.. I'm very worried about something. Please don't judge.
May 2015 first time we applied for tax credits. I was on jsa at time. Basically in a nut shell I filled in application form put I was on jsa, my husband works full time.
Got our award letter awarding us with about £200 a week tax credits!.... Couldn't believe it, was happy as we were struggling, we never claimed before, 2 children. I called them about 4 times, to double check allall was correct and they said yes. So that was that. My jsa claim ended in August as contributions ran out!so tax credits went down to about £25 week. It was then I realised after numerous go ogling I must have put down on form the other jsa, but I remember putting in box the total amount of jsa for 6 months.. So we assumed we must of got lot of tax credits if ur on jsajsa income based. So thenthen I panicked.... Buried my head in sand... Anyway October I apply for esa suffering from depression, call tax credits tell them, contribution based esa. Then week after, tax credits hone back up to £200!...we were doso confused. Anyway I cancelled it told them I'm not on esa anymore.... I did read letters sent out, but I quickly scanned them, But I owe a lot of money and I'm scared I will go to prison, I have 2 disabled children recently diagnosed, and I can't sleep, renewal coming round, what will happen? Thanks

marliepanda

so you claimed you were on income based jsa and not contribution based, and also put your husbands income correctly?

What does the letter say? A brief calculation of 200 a week for 6 months of JSA suggests an overpayment of £5000ish, which is a lot but you can sort out repayments and will not go to jail.

Avoiding it makes the likelihood of fines, and yes prosecution, more likely.

However you need to look at the letter and see what exactly has gone wrong. If you are entitled to it whilst on ESA then you can use that to start paying off the overpayment, so why did you cancel? Are you on ESA?

summerlady_2

Can you speak to someone at the Citizens Advice Bureau? They won't judge you but will be able to calculate your correct entitlements.


If it has all gone wrong, it's best to contact the benefits people as soon as possible and let them know, before they contact you.

Mum7772015

Well all I can remember when filling in form was I ticking a box, then underneath it I put the total amount of jsa for 6 months which was my income.
Yes I put my husbands income for prior year of £30k.
When I received my new letter from hmrc after telling them it was contribution based esa, the letter said income based esa, so I thought oh god not again, why diddid they put that one, I clearly stated over phone the right one. I cancelled it because I didn't want anymore money I wasn't entitled to. I'm no longer esa.. Since then I have told them about my disabled son and I'm a carer for him, soso tax credits have gone up..... What will happen when renewal comes? Thanks for reply... Btw

Mum7772015

Will they see what's happened or come knocking years later? I'm petrified

marliepanda

Did your intitial award letter show the 30k for your husband from last year?
What was the income you out down for yourself?

£200 a week is pretty much the top amount for your circumstances (working no childcare) and it seems to be based as if you only had JSA. They have not taken into account your husbands 30k either.

When you applied again with the ESA, again, did it have your husbands income on?

marliepanda

Mum7772015 wrote: »

Will they see what's happened or come knocking years later? I'm petrified

If they have sent a letter they know already sorry.

We really need to know what was on the initial award letter but in your circumstances you're entitled to roughly £1000 a year, not nearly that a month

Dark sparkle is the total expert on this im just running off the estimation calculators. But a above 30k income and 200 a week is clearly far far over toe entitled ment, sorry

Mum7772015

Yes it had my husbands income on all letters. My Income was just 6 months worth of jsa. About £3k I think. They even read out his income when I rang to check.

Mum7772015

They haven't sent any letters ywt

marliepanda

What does the letter about the overpayment say? How do you know you owe a lot of money?

Do you mean you scanned the award letter? You need to try and find them.

A 33k declared income and a £200 a week payment makes no sense.

Mum7772015

I haven't had any letters about an overpayment yet...