Help with tax credit plz

Popeye542

Hi I don't know if I have a leg to stand on buy with all the recent stories about tax credits I thought I'd ask.

Back in 2011 my eldest 2 little girls were in childcare and had been with the same creche since 2008 when my eldest started. In July 2011 I received a letter from HMRC asking for proof that the girls were in creche and it need to be recieved by the 15th July that year. I got a letter from.the creche showing that the girls had been there , how many days a week they were there and that they were full time. I posted the letter off and thought no.more about it. On the 12 August 2011 I rang tax credit to.inform them.that the girls would be leaving creche as my eldest was starting school and the middle girl was starting nursery. In April 2012 I received a statement saying I had been overpaid by nearly 18,000 pounds I rang straight away and was informed that they had never recieved the letter from the creche back in July and because of this all my creche payments from 2008 were invalid and needed to be paid back. I asked how I could appeal as I did send the letter they asked was it recorded mail... it wasn't.... so I had no proof that I had ever posted it. They told me they would send me a form to fill.in which I never recieved.... I had just had another baby and was diagnosed with PND . I didn't even know what I was doing from day to day . Once my health was sorted I rang tax credit again as they had been taking 35 pound per week from my money for the repayment but was told as I hadn't returned the former (which I never receieved) within 28 days I couldn't do anything to appeal the overpayment and that the money would.continue to be taken until the debt was clear. Does anyone know if there is anything I can do now or is it pointless to try and get it sorted.

Thanks

Darksparkle

It would be too late now, you were notified over 4 years ago. Late appeals can only be accepted up to 13 months after the decision was made.