Tax renewal BIG mistake

Adam877

Hello

I've made an enormous mistake on my online renewal.
Me and my wife had a joint claim for tax credit and child tax credit from 14/02/2015 until 01/02/2016, after they went back abroad to continue university in an EU country that we are from.
Everything was settled and ok, I a tax credit award notice at june 02 this year showing the right amounts for child tax credit and working tax credit. Then because the letter said to write to renew my tax credit I've done so online, but leaving out our children because I've put she and my wife left at 01/02/2015 instead of 01/02/2016. I've given this wrong information by mistake.
At 04/July I've got the letters one is a provisional tax credits for 06/04/2015 to 01/02/2016 saying £1932 is due from me and one final decision for 14/02/2015 to 05/04/2015 stating I owe £1315.
What can be done, I've read I can send a mandatory reconsideration letter what that could fix? What can I do and expect, I'm terrified.

Darksparkle

The dates of the awards notice still tie in with your wife leaving 01/02/16 so I don't see what the issue is?

Adam877

I've renewed with my family leaving on the 01/02/2015 instead of 2016, so everything was claimed back after that date, but they were still here till 01/02/2016.

Darksparkle

That's not what the date says on your award notice though?

Anyway, call them and ask if they'll correct it. If not do a mandatory reconsideration like you said. If still unsuccessful then you can appeal.

Icequeen99

Darksparkle wrote: »

That's not what the date says on your award notice though?

Anyway, call them and ask if they'll correct it. If not do a mandatory reconsideration like you said. If still unsuccessful then you can appeal.

DS - am i missing something here? It looks like on his two last award notices they have used the 1/2/2015 as the end date (due to his error) rather than 1/2/2016.

OP - as DS says you need to appeal. However, i can't see how they have changed your 14/15 award. They can't just go back and change awards that have already been finalised unless they open an enquiry and if they were to do that you have to be notified. I would say the second overpayment wouldn't stand anyway as they haven't followed the correct procedures (if I have understood your post correctly)

IQ

Darksparkle

Icequeen99 wrote: »

DS - am i missing something here? It looks like on his two last award notices they have used the 1/2/2015 as the end date (due to his error) rather than 1/2/2016.

OP - as DS says you need to appeal. However, i can't see how they have changed your 14/15 award. They can't just go back and change awards that have already been finalised unless they open an enquiry and if they were to do that you have to be notified. I would say the second overpayment wouldn't stand anyway as they haven't followed the correct procedures (if I have understood your post correctly)

IQ

He said "I've got the letters one is a provisional tax credits for 06/04/2015 to 01/02/2016 and one final decision for 14/02/2015 to 05/04/2015"

Neither of them say 01/02/15?

Icequeen99

Darksparkle wrote: »

He said "I've got the letters one is a provisional tax credits for 06/04/2015 to 01/02/2016 and one final decision for 14/02/2015 to 05/04/2015"

Neither of them say 01/02/15?

I see what you mean - the 15/16 wouldn't show that date but I assumed the other award started on 14/2/2015.

Either way - i can't see what legal power they have for revising a 14/15 award now without a Section 19 enquiry.

IQ

Tolly_T

The original post said

Me and my wife had a joint claim for tax credit and child tax credit from 14/02/2015 until 01/02/2016

The recent letters cover the entire period that child tax credit was claimed and paid

14/02/2015 to 05/04/2015 - £1315 owed
06/04/2015 to 01/02/2016 - £1932 owed

Neither award would include the date 01/02/2015 as that date is before 14/02/2015, the start of the claim period.

As the claim for child tax credit ended originally on 01/02/2016 I assume this information must have been provided correctly at that time. Hopefully it will be fairly easy for them to confirm this and common sense would allow this to simply be corrected accepting that only the year was incorrect. If it turns out that it's not that simple is it possible to get evidence that the children were here until 01/02/2016 to back up your case - a letter from their school or nursery or gp?

sheramber

if you are still a family You may be able to claim child tax credit of your child is living in a EU country with your wife

https://www.gov.uk/tax-credits-if-moving-country-or-travelling/your-family-lives-abroad

Adam877

I have reported the changes by phone and I was told I'll get a notice of hopefully with the right details in 3 weeks.

Tolly_T

That's very good news. I'm pleased for you. We get so used to hearing that what should be simple is made far harder than it needs to be. This should have been simple to fix and it looks like it was. I'll admit whileI hoped it would just take a phone call I didn't really believe it would.