concentrix help

iammumtoone

I am being investigated for childcare costs.

I have got the invoices from my provider and they total up to less than I declared at the beginning of the year.

I am worried, what will happen? I did explain at the time when asked for my childcare costs that it was hard to put a figure on this as I don't know how much help I will get from relatives and also how much over time I would be asked to do, I was told just to estimate, which I did and got it wrong I did actually estimate on the low side but I have had issues this year with my son which contributed with him not going as much as he should have done (ie he was with relatives more than he would have been normally)

Also I am confused about how to fill out the form.

There are two sections to fill out
Weekly childcare costs from 6th April before your childcare costs changed
Weekly childcare costs after your childcare costs changed
I have to put in a weekly amount in each.

This is impossible as my childcare costs haven't changed as such, they were estimated. What has happen as I have estimated wrong. There is no section for this. The only other option being No changes in Childcare, which isn't correct either.

Thanks

iammumtoone

Further to above, what can I do for next year. I do not want to be in this situation again.

Can I claim childcare retrospectively? ie I tell them at the end of the year what the total was and they pay on that?

I don't think I can/want to estimate again as I don't want the get it wrong and find myself in trouble again :

jetplane

It's only an investigation in the sense of a verification process. Previously HMRC effectively accepted what claimants say. You send them all of your invoices and have they also requested proof of payment? They check that the childcare is genuine, being used and being paid. It takes a fair few weeks for concentric to reply.

Many awards are made on estimates and at the end of the tax year on renewal you give the actual figures. Have you done this or are you still waiting for your renewal pack?

Icequeen99

Childcare costs can be estimated and HMRC should not be asking your actual costs alone - the letter should ask you what your estimate was and how you reached that estimate. Does it do that?

Have a look at WTC5 leaflet - as long as your estimate was reasonable and you checked it throughout the year as things changed then it should be fine.

IQ

iammumtoone

Thanks

They haven't asked for proof of payment but I could get my provider to write a letter to say I have paid up to date if needed, some I paid by cheque but some of it would have been cash.

I have my pack but not returned it yet. There is no section on it regarding childcare payments, which is odd as the accompanying booklet explains how to work out childcare expenses.

Darksparkle

iammumtoone wrote: »

Thanks

They haven't asked for proof of payment but I could get my provider to write a letter to say I have paid up to date if needed, some I paid by cheque but some of it would have been cash.

I have my pack but not returned it yet. There is no section on it regarding childcare payments, which is odd as the accompanying booklet explains how to work out childcare expenses.

The renewal is to ask for your actual income for the year, not your actual childcare.

iammumtoone

Icequeen99 wrote: »

Childcare costs can be estimated and HMRC should not be asking your actual costs alone - the letter should ask you what your estimate was and how you reached that estimate. Does it do that?

Have a look at WTC5 leaflet - as long as your estimate was reasonable and you checked it throughout the year as things changed then it should be fine.

IQ

The letter does not mention anything about estimates, just they need proof of the costs for the tax year.

I am still confused about which section to fill in.

Should I fill in the childcare is correct section? and explain that is was an estimate, there is a box to fill out with how I came to the figure.

jetplane

On the renewal, after your income, it has a question about changes in circumstances. As far as I am aware a change of average childcare costs of more than £10 per week is a change that should be notified. Therefore if the estimate was more than £520 under you would need to notify on renewal.

The request from concentric is a different format and different request. In my experience they ask you all about your child care costs and how you calculated the estimate, you can write as much as you wish in your explanation. The cover letter usually asks for proof of original invoices and payments and this is for every month that they are looking at. They also give a date for return, ring them if you cant get all of the information they ask for before that date.

I'm sorry if I've confused you. Ice Queen and Dark Sparkle know the ins and out far better than I do.

Icequeen99

iammumtoone wrote: »

The letter does not mention anything about estimates, just they need proof of the costs for the tax year.

I am still confused about which section to fill in.

Should I fill in the childcare is correct section? and explain that is was an estimate, there is a box to fill out with how I came to the figure.

Can you tells us the exact wording of all of the questions? Are you sure it doesn't mention estimates anywhere?

IQ

iammumtoone

Dear Miss xxxx

we need to check some detail about your tax credits for tax year xxxx

we are working with HRMC ............

We need information from you about
childcare

Please send us information by xx xx xx to avoid tax credit being stopped

So that we can complete our checks we also need your completed tax credit form

Its really important you don't ignore this letter ...... goes on to state some the enclosed leaflets WTC/FS10.

We have chosen your award to check the information we hold is right

What you need to do by xx xx xx

Evidence you need to send us about your childcare charges
lists accepted evidence

Now fill in and send us the following pages about your childcare

We need to check the amount paid to approved provider from xxxx to xxxx

We are asking you to think if there has been a change to your childcare costs. Events that change your child care costs

list various events eg child leaving/starting school, employment starts/ends etc non of which mention estimates

Childcare costs you can't claim for

lists what you can't claim for

The leaflet WTC5 explains how to work out average costs.

Declaration to sign

Also to fill out is a form to provide the child-provider details

About your childcare costs

Have there been any changes to your childcare costs for the year ending 5 April 2016?

no - go to part E 'No changes in childcare costs'
yes - tell us the date - go to part C 'about your childcare costs from 6 April 2015 to the date before your childcare costs changed and part D 'Your average weekly childcare costs after your costs changed.


Thats it no where does it mention what to do regarding estimated costs, if the actual is different to the estimated, it directs to a leaflet on how to work out estimated costs, but I know how to do that, I don't know what section of the form is relevant for me to fill in

Caza965

My husband and both work and we got a letter from Concentrix last year.

I sent them all the documents they wanted.

When they got back to me, they said that the amount I was paid for tax credits was correct. No changes were needed and that I was not overpaid.

But tax credits came back with my renewal saying I was overpaid by £1300 and my payments were getting reduced because of this.

My payments went from £850 to £420 then down again to £235 every 4 weeks.

I phoned concentrix and tax credits every day for a week or to try find out why one said 'I wasn't overpaid' and the other one said 'I was overpaid'. Each one said the other one was telling me lies.

I gave up fighting with them, cause the constant worry and not getting anywhere, was stressing get me out so much, I had to go to the doctors to get put back on anti depressants,

We have coped with the big drop in tax credits we are receiving but still have the stress every month whether we can afford to pay all the bills.