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AIBU?

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Original poster

Tax credits have just put nearly 10k in my bank

456 replies

TheWildOnesNeverDie · 03/12/2019 00:18

Just checked my bank, as I do most days at 12am incase payments have Gone in from my free lance job.
I don’t earn very much so I like to keep an eye.

I have just checked and nearly had a heart attack to see there was 8k in there. Last time I checked I had £113

I quickly scrolled to see where it had come from and it says bank giro - which is usually tax credits/ child benefit, but I get paid on a Friday.
And usually only £63 per week.

I have one child, have not changed circumstances all year. Haven’t contacted them for anything recently either.

WHAT DO I DO?

OP posts:
CuriousaboutSamphire · 04/12/2019 10:07

Ffs tax credits are not to pay for a holiday to NY.
Jeez if you can you are in receipt of overpayments.

Or you have scrimped and gone without for a year or so and now have a windfall and corrected payments.

By your logic any lump sum overpayment should be given back as the recipient's need is purely historical!

Skyejuly · 04/12/2019 10:54

Oh OP I am so so happy it will help you x

PompeyBez · 04/12/2019 11:19

Good luck OP! I really hope you get to keep it. I would definetely put the money into a savings account and earn a bit of interest on it. Or premium bonds!!

Chlosavxox · 04/12/2019 11:53

@MintyMabel

Actually it's very common for flights from London to NYC to be under £300, especially with Norwegian airlines! I've been multiple times even in December and never paid more than £300. It's the accommodation prices that get you!

(Not agreeing with spending tax credits on holidays I'm just saying you can deffo get a flight to NYC for that price)

Skyechasemarshalontheway · 04/12/2019 16:48

We went to NYC which a overpayment of CTC paid for. We wouldn't have went if we hadn't received that when we did.

We didn't need anything else and it was super cheap to go to last minute as we had holiday time from my husbands work coming up.

AutumnCrow · 04/12/2019 16:50

The OP has already said she'd use it to pay off debts ffs

Bippety · 04/12/2019 16:53

@MintyMabel yes you can, I've been several times.

GinderellaByMidnight · 04/12/2019 17:08

@sall74 seems to foam at the mouth every single time theres a mention of anyone on a benefit daring to have a life.

AutumnCrow · 04/12/2019 17:16

Has this turned into a Tory leaflet writing competition? Single mums use benefits to jet off on New York luxury getaways while hard-working taxpayers live on dust and gravel,

The OP has already said she has debts to pay off. Significant debts.

MarmiteNewt · 04/12/2019 17:31

Yes, call them, and don't spend it! IME it's not uncommon for them to make payments that they shouldn't make, but they catch up eventually and you don't want to be left with a huge bill.

Alternatively you could put it in a high interest account and not touch it, then at least you have the interest when they ask for it back ... but then interest rates are super low that it's hardly worth it.

IthinkIsawahairbrushbackthere · 04/12/2019 17:40

From the other side of the coin - I was expecting a large Tax Credit back payment and although I had a letter saying it had been transferred it didn't appear in my bank. It turned out that there had been an error on their part and it had been paid into someone else's account. Fortunately it was an account in the same bank that we use so the bank was able to sort it out. The person I spoke to in the Tax Credits office said that they would have to recall it and wait for it to come back before it was returned to me.

MintyMabel · 04/12/2019 17:47

@Chlosavxox

Exactly what I said. Cheapest flight with Norwegian, off peak times is about 270 quid.

Where are you going to stay in NY for 30 quid for three nights?

Waxonwaxoff0 · 04/12/2019 17:59

@summersherewishiwasnt tax credits are for whatever the fuck people want to use them for.

Chlosavxox · 04/12/2019 18:08

I paid £270-320 for my NYC flights in December 2017 and December 2018 (busiest time to go, booked a few months in advance) - but accommodation prices is ridiculous for a few nights, hence why we are not going this year😢😂

Fredastaireatemyjamsandwich · 04/12/2019 18:15

Ooh I hope it's yours!

Sweetpea55 · 04/12/2019 18:23

I hope you get to keep it. But how is 8k nearly 10k?

NoSauce · 04/12/2019 18:57

Sweetpea55

I hope you get to keep it. But how is 8k nearly 10k?

I thought that.

ButtonMoonLoon · 04/12/2019 19:06

She said that there were 3 payments- one for £1k, one smaller one and the larger £8k one.

First two were confirmed as being owed to her.
The three together would probably =£10k or close to it

NoSauce · 04/12/2019 19:11

Ah ok, makes sense.

Strawberrypancakes · 04/12/2019 19:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sauvignonblanket · 04/12/2019 22:59

....yet....

BeverlyGoldbergsHairAndJumpers · 05/12/2019 06:26

I would keep it for six months or so until waayyyyy after the tax year ends then use it for clearing debt.

BeverlyGoldbergsHairAndJumpers · 05/12/2019 06:28

You could then use the money you save from paying debt to put in savings and then if they did ask for it back use that towards payments. It would save money as having debt is so expensive.

MinervaSaidThat · 05/12/2019 07:45

Is this effectively £10k of benefits?

snowybaubles · 05/12/2019 07:48

She said that there were 3 payments- one for £1k, one smaller one and the larger £8k one

In the OP it says there was 8k IN THE BANK. That indicates it was all of the payments in total