for expecting the tax credit people to stop paying us...

[PanicPants]

because we now earn just a little bit too much?

We informed them immediately in January when dps wage went up, they said wait until April.

Ok, fair enough.

So have rang back several times, and yes the women has said we don't qualify anymore, but she can't stop the payments until after the annual review, but she expects we will have to pay it back.

If I had been sensible I would have put all the payments somewhere safe where we couldn't spend them. But of course it has just been swallowed up in my account, and spent on bills/shopping etc.

So now I'm awaiting a bill from them. And in the meantime I'm still receiving working tax credits.

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

When the time comes tell them you can't afford to pay it back in one go and I think they will take it in installments. My friend was overpaid by them and is now having to pay back the money.

The whole think is rubbish in my opinion, admitedly it's nice to get a little extra money but they seem to make so many mistakes and I think that people are then struggling to pay back their mistakes.

that's just bizarre

they have altered mine mid-year what is their problem?

they just make it up as they go along

find that really odd maybe phone back and try to speak to someone else. I have changed mine many times throughout the year, this is a new one to me.

It's a ridiculous system not designed for lay people to understand.
We kept the IR continuously up to date with DH's estimated income (he is a self-employed builder), but the payments remained the same. We didn't understand the system and just assumed that we were still in the same threshold so the money didn't change.
Lo and behold, at the end of the tax year they informed us that we had received too much tax credit (!!!) so would be receiving nothing more til the overpayment was cleared.
So even though he earned less money the following year we had no tax credits.

I saw a watchdog programme once where PhD accounting students were set a test to see if they could work out how much tax credits some standard case studies should be receiving - they couldn't do it (shock)!
No wonder the people working at the IR don't even understand it!

ARGGGH for you

After not being apid and ending in severe stuck last summer, we are now being paid double - its because wew were getting manual payments as it was a computer blip that stopped our payments, then they fixed it and sent the manual payments anyway- without suggesting that we check oura ccount to see if fixed first! first we knew was a few days alter when we got or statement

Fortunately advised in time to put aside as they will want it back next year

I had that a couple of years ago Peachy, at one point I had to go everyweek for a giro [grr]

we've got similar going on atm. Got our P60's at the end of the tax year and then it dawned on us that while our circumstances haven't changed (we have the same jobs, on the same wages as the previous tax year) we'd both only actually worked for 1/2 of the previous (05-06) tax year - so our income had actually doubled .

I rang them immidiately - and was told "you'll have to wait for your renewal pack" - and of course have continued to recieve payments - I've since recieved (and returned) the renewal form but goodness knows how long it'll be before they sort it.

Typically - our circumstances HAVE now changed (I'm on Maternity leave which has drastically lowered my income) and DS3 is due in 3 weeks time - so there'll be a 3rd child to factor it.....

Thankfully even with the imminent arrival of DS3 we can still managed even if they say we're getting nothing at all.

When I rang the tax credit line to tell them that I'd stopped work, I got one more payment (I guess it was in the system already) and the next week it stopped with no warning. Maybe it depends if you're paid weekly (as I was) or monthly?

It's crazy isn't it?

You either don't get what you are entitled too, or too much and have to pay it back.

It should be that if you get paid too much because you haven't let them know your circumstances have changed, then you have to pay it back. But if it's their mistake then you can keep it