Strange Child Tax Credit Double Payment Problem - They're Paying Me Twice!

MyUserNamesTaken

OK, This is going to sound odd. Last week, I noticed that I'd received two lots of CTC paid into my bank account one day after the other. They weren't for the same amounts (one was for £99.65, the other was for £102.09). Seeing as this had never happened before, I assumed that they were paying back money they owed me. I've just checked my bank account today only to find that they've done it again this week (payment on the 25th of £101.16 and another payment on the 26th of £100.80). I received my tax credit award letter today, stating that they were going to pay in £100.80 on the 26th and that I would get just under £100 a week from the following week.

Here's the problem: Do I call them to inform them that they seem to be paying me twice as of last week or...


Do I stick the extra in a high interest savings account to grab the interest whilst waiting for them to notice?


Oh, forgot to add that the tax credit notification stated that we owe them £163 for overpayment on WTC (2004/5). No overpayment or underpayment on CTC was made in 2004-2005. This isn't down to wrong calculations on either side. The details on the notification are all correct and the money paid in on the 26th is the payment they talked about in the notification. Seems their computer system is paying me twice at different rates.

Scarlett1

This happened to me the week before last and I was paid twice (2 different amounts) in the same week

Since then its been ok and I have only been paid once per week

mummytofour

Its something to do with the end of the finacial year, i had the same too.

MyUserNamesTaken

Thing that gets me is that it's now happened twice in a row - this week and last week. When it happened last week, I put it down to end of financial year. Now it's happened again and the CTC notification stated they'd pay me on the 26th, with no mention of any payments on the 25th.

shrek101

You dont know if you are coming on going with them. I also got double payments and been told that we been over paid. I rang them today and got confirmation and was about to appeal. Later today my wife rang them and got told a different amount we got over paid instead of it being £1,100 and somethings its now £800, but this years award is much better than they informed us by letter today.

I know require overpayments, but why should one hold back on money in case they over paid.

5MINSALONE

weve had this too, paid twice. so weve stuck it in a savings account so its gaining interest, and if they want it back they can but its in there getting us interest untill they do.

Just whatever you do dont spend it cos thats when you will get stuck.

nadnad

i don't know if this is any help at all but my friend receives two payments of DLA one month of every year - she rang to find out why and they told her it was because of calendar months - she is entitiled to payments every four weeks but gets it on the same date each month - therefore missing out on the extra 13th months payment - she was told that everyone gets it but at different times throughout the year. Maybe they do something similar with tax credits?!

Jazzieboy

Hi. I am currently in dispute with CTC. When we notified them of our new baby last August, our payments stopped. We are now classed as a "Dead Case" (charming!) we have no qualifying children !! and apparently my husband earns 50k/annum ! (I wish). You would think it would be a simple thing for them to reinstate or adds us on again, but nooooo.
All I am really saying is ...... don't tell them, keep it, probably dont spend it (!), but let them look for it, just tell them you took it "in good faith" and didnt realise.
They owe us over 1k now ...... and still no chance of us ever receiving it because of our incorrect household income they wont issue any "emergency" payment.

Good luck.

5MINSALONE

Well I got an award letter this morning this is the 4th diffrent award letter this month - what a waste of paper, anyway it seems that our double payments are correct as they worked our income out wrong too and its basiclly what whas owed. Were still leaving the money in the savings account tho just incase....is it just me or do you never know where you are with them

MyUserNamesTaken

No double payment this week, so looks like it was just an end of year thing. Not sure why they did it two weeks in a row, though. I'm not going to mention it to them just in case they ask for it back! It doesn't appear on any of my award letters.

MyUserNamesTaken

Hmmm...got a new award letter this morning, giving different figures (but they tally up with the second payments I received). Not sure which award letter to believe now. Will just see what happens for now.