tax credit overpayments new report published

Boudica

I had this and it caused untold trouble. Sorry to tell you that. I found out very quickly and phoned and corrected their mistake. At the next review they told me I had been overpaid as I hadn't disclosed my partners income. I said this was complete ******** and I had told them and insisted they go back in their records.

Anyway, in the end I threatend going to Watchdog and going to the press and the local mp. They did sort it out partially but I fully believe that I have never been paid the full amount in all the years i've claimed. I intend this year to get it sorted once and for all vis the cab and my mp who is a brilliant person and so helpful.

I used to be a civil servant and had colleagues who worked for CTC. It is not unusual for people to be put on the phones without any training, often on their first day, and I have this on very good authority.

My advice, go for it and get what you're entitled too.

Bargain_Babe-a-Licious!

:mad: :mad: :eek: :eek:

Guys, I seriously need some input here...

I will have to give you the super-short version of the tale because:
a) as you already know, the tax credit scam/appalling system has sucked ENDLESS hours of time with all the huge mistakes they have made
b) I am teetering precariously on the verge of hysteria :eek: since just before Christmas & can't risk blowing a head gasket (uni exams and work this week plus I am six and a half months pregnant too)

Last year they said we were overpaid (we have submitted all earnings details etc along the way) & I asked them to tell us how thet had happened etc. since they had all our details. As an aside, we have not had a penny since April 2005 after 4 months previous w/ no payments.

After speaking to a variety of some EXTREMELY rude people, some clueless people & some nice but ineffectual people, they still would not/could not explain it in detail or send us anything in writing.
So, the last I knew (summertime 2006) one of the blokes there said our supposed overpayment was being absorbed by the fact that they had stopped payments & would be back to normal by the time our 2nd child was born, April 2007.

THEN......... :eek: :eek: :eek:
the week and a half before Christmas we received a court letter saying we owed £2100 & had to respond w/in 2 weeks or we would have to pay the full whack via a CCJ. :eek: :eek: :eek:
(I responded in time that I objected to the full claim.)

I have never been offered an explanation as to what we are entitled to so how can I know if the monthly payments are right or wrong?!?

To top it off this is what happened on Friday...
We received a letter saying they won by default (???) & we have to pay the full amount this month or we get a CCJ & they send the bailiffs 'round!!!

HELP!!!

I fear that whatever we do next will be futile, although I will go to our MP's office this week after my exams.
We have perfect credit & the very idea of a CCJ is too much... I really can't overstate how absolutely helpless I feel._pale_ _pale_ _pale_

Many thanks for any advice, support, help etc you can offer. :beer:

(here's the bit I remembered after I submitted it already) I can't help but think they planned the timing of the demand so I would have no access to solicitors/MP's etc. over Christmas because they would all be on holiday.

creamtea_2

Bargain_Babe-a-Licious! wrote:

:mad: :mad: :eek: :eek:

Guys, I seriously need some input here...

I will have to give you the super-short version of the tale because:
a) as you already know, the tax credit scam/appalling system has sucked ENDLESS hours of time with all the huge mistakes they have made
b) I am teetering precariously on the verge of hysteria :eek: since just before Christmas & can't risk blowing a head gasket (uni exams and work this week plus I am six and a half months pregnant too)

Last year they said we were overpaid (we have submitted all earnings details etc along the way) & I asked them to tell us how thet had happened etc. since they had all our details. As an aside, we have not had a penny since April 2005 after 4 months previous w/ no payments.

After speaking to a variety of some EXTREMELY rude people, some clueless people & some nice but ineffectual people, they still would not/could not explain it in detail or send us anything in writing.
So, the last I knew (summertime 2006) one of the blokes there said our supposed overpayment was being absorbed by the fact that they had stopped payments & would be back to normal by the time our 2nd child was born, April 2007.

THEN......... :eek: :eek: :eek:
the week and a half before Christmas we received a court letter saying we owed £2100 & had to respond w/in 2 weeks or we would have to pay the full whack via a CCJ. :eek: :eek: :eek:
(I responded in time that I objected to the full claim.)

I have never been offered an explanation as to what we are entitled to so how can I know if the monthly payments are right or wrong?!?

To top it off this is what happened on Friday...
We received a letter saying they won by default (???) & we have to pay the full amount this month or we get a CCJ & they send the bailiffs 'round!!!

HELP!!!

I fear that whatever we do next will be futile, although I will go to our MP's office this week after my exams.
We have perfect credit & the very idea of a CCJ is too much... I really can't overstate how absolutely helpless I feel._pale_ _pale_ _pale_

Many thanks for any advice, support, help etc you can offer. :beer:

(here's the bit I remembered after I submitted it already) I can't help but think they planned the timing of the demand so I would have no access to solicitors/MP's etc. over Christmas because they would all be on holiday.

http://www.taxcreditoverpayment.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
an excellent source of help

icequeen55uk

Hi Everybody!

I just had to add to this thread as I too have been hit with an enormous bill for overpayment.

Long story short, at the end of 2004 my partner and I split up, as he was the only breadwinner in the household, (I stayed at home with the 2 kids), I applied for an got, Income Support etc and tax credits as a single parent family. We reconciled in January 2005 and I wrote and informed everyone that I should have (TCO, Income Support, HB etc), fast forward to October 2005 and my credits are stopped completely and we were hit with a bill for £2500. I wrote and explained, rang countless times and went to my local office to try and sort it out. I was eventually given an appeal form, which I filled in and sent back. About 8 weeks later, I was informed that they had not recieved it so I filled in another one and sent it off. In the meantime we were not recieving any credits, (even though my partner is self-employed and brings home an average of £19000 a year and we get nothing else except Child Benefit), and were told we COULD NOT claim anything until all this was sorted out.

This morning, 14 MONTHS after they stopped our credits, I got a letter stating that although they could see my point, I still owe them the money!!
I will be going to the local Citizens Advice on Monday, but what I want to know is this: Will the fact that we haven't had ANYTHING for 14 months, when we should have been entitled to credits, be enough to "bargain" the debt away? I.E: We should have received a fair amount of money in 14 months, will they take that into account and call it quits? (I doubt it, I don't think anyone has a conscience in the TCO!) Anyone have any ideas?

If I do end up having to pay it back they can have £5 a week and be done with it. I really wish I had never, ever had anything to do with the whole debacle. I thought the whole point of TC was to help those who earned less than a certain amount, not to hit young families with more debt.....

Oh well, to look on the bright side, I'm quite chuffed that I've managed to budget well enough for the last 14 months that we haven't got into more serious debt in the meantime. I must be doing something right!

Lucy

PS. When informed of the TCO debt problem, my Mother-In-Law asked if my partner was sure that we really owed the money, or was it that I had spent all of his hard earned cash on myself........In-Laws? Gotta Love 'em!:mad:

savvy

I'll have to join this long thread too....................overpayment = £3944, but WILL drop a bit when they put my son back on which they removed sometime ago! :rolleyes:

Apparently I don't have a hope in hell in appealing despite the fact I did everything they asked me to do!! :mad:

frugallass

My problems go back to 2002 - after dozens of phone calls and letters they sent me a letter stating I still owed them almost £600

I asked them to send me an appeal form, which they did, and which I completed and returned. They wrote back to me saying that they did not accept my reasons and that I still owed them the money.

Since then (last summer?) I just ignored that letter and have heard nothing from them since

ssssssshhhhhhh:)

lynnen_2

I have just been reading about all of your unfortunate requests for overpayment to be replayed and like you I believe that they have no right to claim what they originally gave to help out. What is the point in helping families and then giving them hardship when they want it back. I have just been trying (after 3 telephone calls today alone) to sort out my sons, we thought we had a problem tonight with a £4349 overpayment being requested back, it began at £4350 then went to £3570 and then to £4349, being very distraught about the whole issue, we telephone them tonight as we had received another letter on the 9.1.06 and asked them what is the correct figure that he owes and they came out with £7919 we are in total shock, he has not even been paid that much from them and has the bank statements to prove it. It is terrible going around in circles to different people on the telephone, going through all of the information time and time again. It will cost him over £600 a month to pay this back, there is now possibility that he can, he has two children under 2 and a mortgage like most people, his wife works a couple of days, we just don’t know what to do. I am so annoyed that I have taught him never to go into debt, borrow or run up credit cards and I can be proud to say that he hasn’t, now through no fault of his own he is in this situation. I asked him who suggested he claimed this tax credit and he said it was the midwife, she told them that they would be entitled to it and to fill in the forms and they would assess their situation and give them the right amount. Uhh!! All along they have informed the Tax office of any changes of any sort, now we just don’t know what to do.

So so sad tonight and this is my first ever post and it had to be a sad one.

Ste's mum

clairehi

Hi Lynnen

So sorry to hear about your son's problems with the TCO - we owe them a similar amount.

I sugest you gather together all the paperwork you have - especially the final award notices for each tax year, and go to see the Citizens Advice Bureau. They have seen loads of people in this situation and will be able to help.

Good luck

clairehi

frugallass wrote:

My problems go back to 2002 - after dozens of phone calls and letters they sent me a letter stating I still owed them almost £600

I asked them to send me an appeal form, which they did, and which I completed and returned. They wrote back to me saying that they did not accept my reasons and that I still owed them the money.

Since then (last summer?) I just ignored that letter and have heard nothing from them since

ssssssshhhhhhh:)

Im in a similar situation. they sent me a Notice to Pay, but it was for the wrong amount. I disputed it, and had a letter off them on 8th November which seemed to say that I was right - but was very unclearly worded. Since then - nothing and no further demand for payment.

Springbankcat

I am soo hoping that I don't get any letters about overpayments like posters on this forum (and a girl at work who has to pay about £5k at £20 per week).

Started a new job on the 18th of September and phoned and told TCO of the changes on that day (actually phoned a couple of days before but they wouldn't/couldn't take the changes). Had all the required info childcare costs wage details etc calculated and ready all they had to do was enter it on the comp and send me out my new calculation - easy peasy or so you would think!!

Now 4 months since I phoned them and i am still waiting on the letter despite phoning them and telling them i need it to claim a fee waver for a college course I want to do (and to check their calculation of course!!! Actually thats the main reason!!:rotfl: )

Now have a new change of circumstances and don't know wether to not tell them about it. Why should I tell them anything if they can't even send out a simple letter?

If they have overpayed me would this be their mistake or mine if they haven't sent me a calculation letter to check?

Thanks
Cat