Tax Credit Overpayments - paid but another bill?

NinjaCat

Hi.
I received the letter from HMRC that we owe about £3200.

This summer, we applied some help, like tax credit or working credit, as my husband stopped working last Dec and financially getting difficult in summer. We just tried to applied for job seekers allowance but they said they changed it to Universal Credit system. In the end we didn't go forward, as my husband started working. (so we applied but stopped the application before any assessment has been done)

Now, their letter says they reviewed our situation as we applied to Universal Credit, they found out we owe them. I'm so surprised.

Last time we received some credit about 1 year(or less) around 2013/2014. Then after, they asked the money about £5000 overpayments us, so we paid already. So it was finished matter to us. It was done. Now they said they reviewed again and they found out we still owe further £3200?

do you think we need to pay this? we paid already what they said, so now this surprise 2nd bill after years, can I say this is their mistake? If they make a mistake, then I think I don't have to pay...

Please give me your advise....

marliepanda

NinjaCat wrote: »

Hi.
I received the letter from HMRC that we owe about £3200.

This summer, we applied some help, like tax credit or working credit, as my husband stopped working last Dec and financially getting difficult in summer. We just tried to applied for job seekers allowance but they said they changed it to Universal Credit system. In the end we didn't go forward, as my husband started working. (so we applied but stopped the application before any assessment has been done)

Now, their letter says they reviewed our situation as we applied to Universal Credit, they found out we owe them. I'm so surprised.

Last time we received some credit about 1 year(or less) around 2013/2014. Then after, they asked the money about £5000 overpayments us, so we paid already. So it was finished matter to us. It was done. Now they said they reviewed again and they found out we still owe further £3200?

do you think we need to pay this? we paid already what they said, so now this surprise 2nd bill after years, can I say this is their mistake? If they make a mistake, then I think I don't have to pay...

Please give me your advise....

You really haven't given enough info to advise, BUT it is completely possible that the overpayment refers to different years, or new information has come to light which has showed them the further overpayment.

What is the cause of the overpayment?

Alice_Holt

Ask them for an explanation of how this overpayment came about.

Which Tax Years did the £5k relate to, and why did that overpayment arise?

NinjaCat

I'm sorry, there is no further information in the letter. They said, no action needed now, but details of the amount will be sent to Department for Work and Pensions, or Department for communities, then they will recover the amount from universal credit payments.... we only received the tax credit 1 year or less period before, and no other credit has been given to us outside of this period. This universal credit, I feel like a con game by the government. Without any help, we have lived recently on savings, even if my husband was not working, now all of sudden, the big bill.... he just started working and they are saying we owe them? Life is difficult.....

Darksparkle

Best thing to do would be to call them. Confirm what year the overpayment is for and the reason and check what year you already repaid tax credits for.