to feel insulted, upset and depressed at letter from tax credits?

[newsparklythings]

Every tax credits letter I have received up to now has been the standard form, which I have filled in and sent back. that doesn't stop them cocking up the payments of course - one year they decided they had over-paid and just.. stopped them 6 months into the tax year (luckily I had savings to live on). They have done the same this year with a month to go to April so not quite as bad but not great either.

But now they have sent a letter with the headline:

"Your tax credit award - should you be making a joint claim.."

It might also seem like a standard letter to some, but as a single parent it feels like I'm being accused of something. I mean, the last time I checked I didn't have a man hiding under my bed or supplying me with big bundles of cash. But the letter is kind of saying they don't trust that I have got that bit right. By suggesting that I 'might just want to check' that I am not a single person.

Another bit of the letter reads:

"I would like you to reconsider your current circumstances and check if you should be claiming as part of a couple."

Now, just thinking through my 'circumstances'.. DD's DF pissed off when I was 6 weeks pregnant (so, single then).. I was pregnant with serious MH issues as a result through my pregnancy (so, single).. gave birth alone (alone, so single).. and have raised DD alone for a number of years since. Her DF cannot even be bothered to meet her, so there is little chance really of us shacking up together. And as I have practically zero support and work full-time, and have barely ever been able to do anything on my own (like, pee) since she was born.. I would say I am still single.

But 'Darren' from HMRC thinks I might just want to check.

Goodnight, wildblueberryjam my OH works building yachts for people who are disgustingly rich, he brings home just over 30k a year, are we.. not entitled to our child benefit because we made 'irresponsible lifestyle choices'? Or should he get a better job? Bellend.

@ohreallyohreallyoh

HMRC will be going by statistics showing where the frauds tend to occur rather than blowing their budget lettering every claimant for everything in the country.

So, once again - This is not an attack. It's a check. And if you've done nothing wrong, ignore it and chuck it in the bin. There's absolutely no need to throw a tantrum. They are not attacking anyone or penalizing anyone. It's really not a big deal at all. Thousands got these letter and only a handful are on here bitching about it.

Couple of years back they were sending letters of this type but with much more of an idea that recipients were probably lying, and say they had to prove they were not living with anyone (how do you prove a negative?) or they would get it all cancelled, and were given quite a short timescale IIRC, it caused massive concern fear and worry, it was all over MN and the papers as well at the time, I think the givt had farmed it out to a 3rd party who were being very aggressive etc.

So it sounds like they are still doing this but have hopefully toned it down a bit, I think whole things shit really, doing these mass fishing exercises, causing (with the previous ones) a massive amount of panic, stress, fear etc amongst a very large number of people in the hope that a very small number will say oh shit yeah here you go then.

Trying to flush out a few bad apples by threatening a much larger group of vulnerable people as per last time was a shit thing to do so I'm sorry to hear they're doing it again albeit hopefully without the impossible demands and open threats.

I agree Kerala and that small minority of poor people playing the system are always heralded as representative of everyone in this country who has ever claimed a benefit.

The same as though a small minority of rich and or tory voters apparently want to punish the "poor", are always heralded as representative of everyone on the other side of the coin..

Fact is there is very little on either side of the coin and not any on this thread, but some people have to jump to the extreme and make hyperbolic statements when people are trying to make rational arguments.

I know someone who has recieved this letter who is living with someone who generally shat themselves as they thought they had caught her out, once she realised it was a standard letter she has ignored it.

FWIW, I know a few who are fiddling the system, but as soon as they realised this letter was sent out to everyone they have ignored it, does that mean everyone is on the fiddle, nope, no one has said such a thing. This letter might make someone with a bit more conscience come clean though, and that is all what the letter is meant to achieve, anyone taking it as a personal slight are not thinking it through.

@Bluntness100 the op has said that her child's father left her when she was pregnant (as did mine). Care to elaborate on the life choices you're referring to?

Those care workers who traipsed for miles in the recent snow to see their clients..................they may be left wondering why they bothered in future.

I love it when SAHMs come on benefit threads to brag about their wealthy husbands whilst criticising other people for not working hard enough. It’s ironic. I don’t claim tax credits, so no axe to grind. I sympathise with the OP though.

Yes lurker let's not tar all rich and or Tory voters with the same brush.

I just resent seeing glib comments such as "it's a lifestyle choice" "don't have children if you can't afford them" "get a better job" and "lots of people are falsely claiming for ridiculous made up disabilities" ??!

It's ignorant and bloody insulting.

What we need is Universal Basic Income, paid to everyone, without question.
The only way to fix the economy is to give more money to the poor. A lot more money. The fact that money has been steadily taken from the poor and given to the rich over the last couple of decades is the biggest cause of the mess we are in.
And where will this money come from? Increasing and collecting corporation tax and the top rates of income tax. And dealing with the offshore wealth horders.
Oh, and getting rid of the armies of snoopers and inspectors who currently administer the benefits system. Because people won't have to qualify or be inspected.

What we need is Universal Basic Income, paid to everyone, without question

This would just cause inflation which would make the poorest even poorer.

What we need is employers to pay proper wages so work is worthwhile and doesn’t need to be subsidised and we can all pay taxes to support the most vulnerable.

We need welfare fraud to be unattractive because working pays decent enough wages for it to be unattractive.

What we need is Universal Basic Income, paid to everyone, without question
you should read about the Russian Revolution, and how well things worked out for everybody.

Of course we all want world peace, the end of cancer (really no sarcasm here!), the end of poverty, and we'd all love to stay home with the kids and being paid for it - or stay home without kids if you don't want them.
how realistic is that? What do you think happens when the top rate of income tax and corporation tax go up? You can't really fraud on PAYE, highest earners don't go on it, they're not mad.

Yes, world peace, buckingham Palace open to us the plebs, lets dream.

HMRC will be going by statistics showing where the frauds tend to occur rather than blowing their budget lettering every claimant for everything in the country

Really? You work for HMRC for their policy department? Please find me the reports which say single parents are more likely to commit fraud than any other group. I would be interested to see it.

Stop being a sensitive idiot. It is a standard letter. Period.

@ohreallyohreallyoh
Last report I read was in 2014.
Back then a third of all benefit fraud were false claims for disability allowance - most common being blue badge misuse.

When It comes to housing and employment support benefits the most common is single parents continuing to claim as single despite cohabiting, the next common was claiming unemployment benefits while working for cash in hand.

I'm sure if you Google, you will find more up to date figures but I don't imagine it's changed musmch since 2014.

The point is, you're not right here. They need to target the area they are most likely to catch the cheats. It's still a minority - no one is saying single parents are cheat. They are just more likely to be than other claiments. But getting the letter means nothing if you're claiming correctly. No one is attacking this group - they're just doing their best to catch the problem people to save around 4 billion a year, which can then be used in areas it's needed.

You really need to stop now. You're not winning here.

What we need is employers to pay proper wages so work is worthwhile and doesn’t need to be subsidised and we can all pay taxes to support the most vulnerable

Most claimants aren't vulnerable though, many could work, work more, make bette choices etc but simply don't want too.

Employers pay what a job is worth, unskilled work doesn't warrant high pay and a living wage is very subjective and all employees will have made different lifestyle choices that come with varying costs.

What we need is Universal Basic Income, paid to everyone, without question Does it come with a unicorn and utopia land too

What we need is a tougher welfare system, harsh penalties for failing to support a child and a generation believing they can choose not to work, do the odd few hours or have children that they can't afford now or should their relationship break down (as the majority do). Self responsibility rather than throwing money at people for making poor choices or doing little.

That was a Nasty Party political broadcast brought to you by @YellowMakesMeSmile

What we need is Universal Basic Income, paid to everyone, without question
you should read about the Russian Revolution, and how well things worked out for everybody.

What has Universal Basic Income got to do with a totalitarian regime?

So far, there are ongoing trials in that bastion of Communist repression, Finland:
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/finland-universal-basic-income-trial-pilot-scheme-unemployed-stress-levels-reduced-a7724081.html'

and Canada:
www.coha.org/ontarios-basic-income-a-canadian-policy-alternative-to-the-welfare-state/

Do try and keep up dear, rather than pointlessly resorting to the hopelessly overused (and underthought) "But Staaaalin!" trope.

how realistic is that? What do you think happens when the top rate of income tax and corporation tax go up?

Rich people and corporations pay. their. fair. share. of. fucking.tax. THAT's what happens.

stubbornstains so.do.people.in.low.paid.jobs.you.blinkered.idiot

@stubbornstains

How is 45% fair? I don't think anyone should have to give up 45% of their wage just because they're successful. My dad left the country and worked as an expat to avoid paying that for as much of his working life as he could, but for the years he did work here he probably paid more tax than most people do in their whole working lives. He worked himself to exhaustion in his job - high pressure, never "off" as they might call anytime and he'd have to be there to answer or things couldn't get done. And half his wage is taken away.
The whole system is bad. But saying that raising the top rate income tax is fair? It is not.

Thanks wild

Just went for tea as we are all knackered

she has some money, she MUST BE THE DEVIL!

To be fair, you never said you had money. You said your husband did (although I'm sure your imaginary high-earning husband treats all the imaginary money as family money)

avasarala

Yeah i know how the tax system works...for wages at least

My point was more that it wasnt half but as i said I appreciate it could feel like half and its obviously a very large chunk

stubbornstains
educate yourself my dear, and research a bit better. Talk with Finish citizen for a start, you might be surprised.

When you over-tax big corporation and the really high earner, THEY MOVE! Add Brexit to the mix, and see how well things will work out. What has Britain to offer to businesses? Ever thought of that? I am guessing not.

urubu

No they dont

No one in the uk pays 50 percent of their salary in tax

On a proportion of your salary...yes

On all of it....no

pigeondujour he earns OVER 200k, apparently. Fucking interested to know what it is he does for a living.