How far back can HMRC claim back supposed iverpayments

PJG
PJG Posts: 6 Forumite
in Benefits & tax credits
Hello All,
I Received a letter from HMRC saying I owe them money for an overpayment. But it’s from 04/2005 and it’s the first I’ve heard of it. They use my ex wife married name when married to me, we have been divorced since 2008 and she remarried some years ago now has a different name. I spoke with the tax office after first checking the phone number, and the person I spoke with said” the government doesn’t have to abide by the 7year rule” When I questioned the validity of the claim due to the time lapse. Any help b great. Thank You.

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 4,176 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary Photogenic First Post
    PJG wrote: »
    Hello All,
    I Received a letter from HMRC saying I owe them money for an overpayment. But it!!!8217;s from 04/2005 and it!!!8217;s the first I!!!8217;ve heard of it. They use my ex wife married name when married to me, we have been divorced since 2008 and she remarried some years ago now has a different name. I spoke with the tax office after first checking the phone number, and the person I spoke with said!!!8221; the government doesn!!!8217;t have to abide by the 7year rule!!!8221; When I questioned the validity of the claim due to the time lapse. Any help b great. Thank You.

    It's true. They can chase you forever. They can't take you to court for it but they can demand payment or deduct it from benefits or earnings.
  • PJG
    PJG Posts: 6 Forumite
    Hi,
    If I request it are they likely to send out a statement of the debt concerned? As I want concrete validity of it being 13 years ago. So in a financial environment I can only make a claim for 7years, how come the hmrc don!!!8217;t have that part of the statute of limitations. As they could just Lie?
  • poppasmurf_bewdley
    poppasmurf_bewdley Posts: 5,909 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    PJG wrote: »
    Hi,
    If I request it are they likely to send out a statement of the debt concerned? As I want concrete validity of it being 13 years ago. So in a financial environment I can only make a claim for 7years, how come the hmrc don!!!8217;t have that part of the statute of limitations. As they could just Lie?

    When a debt becomes statute barred, it only means that the debt cannot be chased through the courts. The debt is still outstanding.

    That means the end for you or I, or any company, if we are owed money. But unfortunately, HM Government can legally take any money it says you owe from benefits, pensions, etc, without going to court.
    "There are not enough superlatives in the English language to describe a 'Princess Coronation' locomotive in full cry. We shall never see their like again". O S Nock
  • PJG
    PJG Posts: 6 Forumite
    Thank for the info,
    The person I spoke also said !!!8216;recently noticed!!!8217;, that says to me that it is possibly a figment if their imagination as 13 years is a long time for that to go in noticed. Government double standards there I think, as there has been no notice whatsoever ever of that prior to this letter. Frustrating and adds additional stress at a time could really do with out it. !!!55357;!!!56865;
  • TELLIT01
    TELLIT01 Posts: 16,469 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper PPI Party Pooper
    Don't make assumptions about lying or figment of the imagination. If they have hard evidence of the debt they can collect irrespective of how far back it has gone. It's equally possible that there is a close but not 100% match between you and the real debtor and that's how you've been caught up in it.
  • Darksparkle
    Darksparkle Posts: 5,465 Forumite
    I highly doubt there has been no notice prior to this. In every case I've ever seen a final award was issued or notice to pay at the time. You can always do a subject access request for details.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post I've been Money Tipped!
    OP we see on here on a regular basis cases of the DWP chasing money owed from 20 years ago or more, its good to see that HMRC are now looking back to see what others might owe.
  • badmemory
    badmemory Posts: 7,788 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    venison wrote: »
    OP we see on here on a regular basis cases of the DWP chasing money owed from 20 years ago or more, its good to see that HMRC are now looking back to see what others might owe.


    And we should stress MIGHT here. The problem will be proving it as not too many people are as anal as me and have P60s back to 5th April 1964. It could actually be a result of the many duplicate NI numbers & records there used to be. It could be the result of a fraudulent employer but so far in the past how on earth would a normal person prove it?
  • Darksparkle
    Darksparkle Posts: 5,465 Forumite
    badmemory wrote: »
    And we should stress MIGHT here. The problem will be proving it as not too many people are as anal as me and have P60s back to 5th April 1964. It could actually be a result of the many duplicate NI numbers & records there used to be. It could be the result of a fraudulent employer but so far in the past how on earth would a normal person prove it?

    This thread is regarding a tax credit overpayment. Duplicate NINOs or fraudulent employers are unlikely to be the cause.
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