tax credit overpayments new report published

Shane_Read

Tax Credits have ruined me, I can't sleep or eat and I'm gonna lose my home thanks to tax credits awards!.
I have been overpaid £4200 in the last 2 years! and they admit I did nothing wrong.
money has been tight, im trying to keep a roof over my familys head and
never wanted credits in the first place (im a simple man who is used to earning his money) but was badgered by friends to apply, and right from the start I asked HM revenue " are you sure I should be getting this amount?" and had been reasurred so many times by the people on the helpline that my award was correct and that was what im entitled to.
They can't stop apologising, and when i told one of them last night I wish I'd never started recieving credits he said "well thats silly" but I wouldn't be in the position I am now!.
and just to really rub it in, there is nothing I can do but pay it back, its unjust and unfair .
I just don't know what to do next, how can they get away with doing this to me?.

creamtea_2

:A http://familytaxcredit.forumco.com/policy.asp



http://www.taxcreditoverpayment.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/1.html

Shane - the above 2 sites are fantastic support. You are not alone its happening all over - we must fight back this disgraceful system!!

Tina_Arena_2

I split up with my childrens dad in January 05, i informed the tax credits department 3 times of my change in circumstances, they set up a new claim for me as a single person but carried on paying my ex child tax credit until september, despite me informing them of the change. They finally discovered the mistake they had made in April 06 and wrote to me (as they couldnt find him) demanding £2500 back!! As we had a joint claim I am eligible to pay half of this back even though i didnt know he was still getting this money!! I am a full time student now but they still expect me to pay this back!! This is their mistake, i have been honest and informed them of everything i should have done yet they are penalising me for it??

charchar_3

Guys if you have been overpaid, and you have given all the correct info - do not give up hope!

I was over paid just over £5000 this year, no letters about the overpayment, i only found out when i rang to declare a change of circumstances!

I rang the tax credits helpline again after hearing the shocking news, told them i didn't understand how i'd been overpaid so much for only 9 months of the tax year and wanted to speak to someone face to face. They made me an appointment at my local inland revenue, i took in all the info i had and the bloke there couldn't work out what had gone wrong. I have just recieved a letter informing me there was a mistake made and the overpayment has been written off! YAY!

Don't let it lie! Ask for an appt at your local office and get them to explain it to you. They may refer it on to another team (which mine was).

Also guys, if you are having a hardtime of paying your overpayment back, ring and ask to be considered for hardship, this way they reduce the amount you pay back to them every month!

bebee_2

Guys if you have been overpaid, and you have given all the correct info - do not give up hope!

Totally agree, I went to my MP over what TC have said i was over paid on 2 years. This morning i got a letter from MP with attached letter from TC office stating that one of the OP has been resolved. and their is NO overpayment outstanding.
The other OP is still outstanding and that if i have further evidence they would still look into this. Today have sent 2 letters recorded delivery to ask for all data held. ie taped calls for the last years.
As they have said thier is reasonable cause that i KNEW they were overpaying us. as i should have noticed the error on my award notice's!!
ermm i hold a letter that was sent from thier Customer Complaints Dept stating that they are aware i have not been recieving my Award notices via the post (that i have reported this to postwatch and that it has been under investigation since 2003 to date!!!) and that i called them on a number of occasions ( most that were recorded )
so 1 down 1 to go OP has gone down to date from £5000 + to £2500+
So please DO NOT GIVE UP if you have the evidence to back you up

movingon

Hi can anyone help with this question.

Today I got a phone call from a Collections Agency, saying I had ignored letters sent over a year ago demanding repayment of overpaid CT credit and WTC paid to me in April and May 2004. I had no idea what they were talking about as this was the first communication from them

I rang the help line and they said that i should not have received the money in April and May 2004 as I separated from my wife at the end of April. I got the CT credit and she got the WTC paid into our respective accounts. Both of us used the money to pay for the home and kids as we did not have a formal financial agreement at that time. I accept that this was probably our mistake and will have to repay it somehow. However we are now divorced and I have no idea where she is. I know she will object to paying it. Will I end up paying all of it, or are we liable for half each. She was not working at the time and is still on state bens as far as I am aware?

Any advice appreciated.

COPPERHEADJACK_2

HI
ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO I CHANGED NURSERYS FOR MY LITTLE BOY AND DROPPED 1 DAY I INFORMED THE TAX CREDIT LINE THAT I HAD DONE SO I DID THIS BY PHONE AND ALSO BY LETTER. I CONTINUED TO RECEIVE MY PAYMENT LESS 5P
12 MONTHS LATER I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE INVESTIGATIONS DEPARTMENT WHO WERE INVESTIGATING ME FOR FRAUD. I WAS TAKEN IN AND QUESTIONED UNDER CAUTION AND ALSO RECORDED. I TIED BOTH OF THE OFFICERS UP IN KNOTS AS I HAD A PHOTO COPY OF THE LETTER AND ALSO THE DATES ON WHICH I HAD TELEPHONED.
6 MONTHS LATER I RECEIVED A TELEPHONE CALL FROM THE OFFIDER SAYING THE CASE HAD BEEN RESOLVED AND IT HAD BEEN PASSED OVER TO THE CIVIL SECTION FOR MY MONEY TO BE CORRECTED 6 MONTHS AFTER THAT CONVERSATION I WAS STILL RECEIVING THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY SO I CALL THE OFFICER BACK AND ASKED WHY I WAS STILL RECEIVING THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A FLAG ON MY FILE AND HE WOULD REMOVE IT AND I COULD CALL AND CHANGE IT MYSELF WITHOUT A PROBLEM. AFTER A FURTHER 3 MONTHS 16 PHONE CALLS AND 3 LETTERS I HAD ANOTHER CALL FROM THE OFFICER SAYING THAT THERE WAS A FAULT ON THE SOFTWARE AND THEY COULDN'T CHANGE THE DEATILS IT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE MANUALLY AND HE WOULD DO IT HIMSELF THEN I WOULD RECEIVE THE CORRECT AMOUNT THE NEXT WEEK. 2 WEEKS LATER I WAS STILL RECEIVING THE SAME AMOUNT AND THE DETAIL HAD NOT BEEN CHANGED. I WROTE A LETTER OF COMPLAINT TO THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTRE AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. ABOUT 2 MONTHS LATER I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM A MANAGER WHO WAS DEALING WITH MY LETTER, HE APPOLOGISED AND SAID IF I COULD PROVE IT WASN'T MY FAULT I WOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY THE MONEY BACK. I WAS SENT OUT A FORM AND FILLED IT IN WITH WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND SENT IT STRAIGHT BACK.
BY THIS TIME THEY HAD CHANGED MY DETAIL AND WERE DEDUCTING THE MONEY AT £5.00 PER WEEK.
6 WEEKS LATER I HAD A LETTER OF APPOLOGIE AND TOLD THAT I WOULD GET A REFUND OF ANY MONEY WHICH HAD BEEN DEDUCTED A ALSO i WOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY ANY MONEY BACK TO THEM AS THEY WERE AT FAULT ALL ALONG. I DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY BACK NEARLY £3000 FOR THE STRESS THAT THEY PUT ME THROUGH I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO JAIL FOR FRAUD EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T MY FAULT.

trish06

hi
does any one know if they put interest on to over paid tax credits

as i first had a letter saying that i had been overpayed by 5000

now am recieving a letter asking for over 8000 pounds

COPPERHEADJACK_2

trish06 wrote: »

hi
does any one know if they put interest on to over paid tax credits

as i first had a letter saying that i had been overpayed by 5000

now am recieving a letter asking for over 8000 pounds

DON'T THINK THEY DO ADD INTREST ONTO OVERPAYMENTS BUT I WAS INFORMED BY A RELIABLE SOURCE THIS MORNING THAT A JUDGE HAS CHALLENGED THE LETTERS THAT THE INLAND REVENUE HAS SENT OUT FOR OVERPAYMENTS AND STOPPED ALL PROCEEDINGS AS THE LETTERS ARE ILLEGAL.
I WOULD GET IN TOUCH WITH THE TAX CREDIT OFFICE AND FIND OUT WHAT THE £3000 CHARGES ARE FOR IF YOU GET A NICE OFFICER THEY HAVE THE POWER TO REMOVE MONEY FROM YOU FILE.
ALSO PUT IN A COMPLAINT TO THE TAX CREDIT COSTUMER SERVICE DIVISION AND PLAY BLUE MURDER. AFTER ALL IT WAS THEIR MISTAKE .

bebee_2

COPPERHEADJACK wrote: »

DON'T THINK THEY DO ADD INTREST ONTO OVERPAYMENTS BUT I WAS INFORMED BY A RELIABLE SOURCE THIS MORNING THAT A JUDGE HAS CHALLENGED THE LETTERS THAT THE INLAND REVENUE HAS SENT OUT FOR OVERPAYMENTS AND STOPPED ALL PROCEEDINGS AS THE LETTERS ARE ILLEGAL.
I WOULD GET IN TOUCH WITH THE TAX CREDIT OFFICE AND FIND OUT WHAT THE £3000 CHARGES ARE FOR IF YOU GET A NICE OFFICER THEY HAVE THE POWER TO REMOVE MONEY FROM YOU FILE.
ALSO PUT IN A COMPLAINT TO THE TAX CREDIT COSTUMER SERVICE DIVISION AND PLAY BLUE MURDER. AFTER ALL IT WAS THEIR MISTAKE .

please tell us more???? even if by pm i would love to know as i still have one op pending.

Ps can anyone tell me when the new award letters/ form as due as i thought it all started again on the 1st april and i yet again have not recieved anything yet??