Tax credit fraud 😩😩

[Needhelp30]

I’m in a right state.

I live with my partner and 3 kids. The older two are from my previous abusive marriage.
I have claimed as a single parent. My defence is that I left an abusive marriage in tens of thousands of debt and have borderline personality disorder and can not be safe with money. The tax credits I was getting was for my debt and my older two children. I have a spending addicted and I can’t be trusted to pay bills etc so absolutely everything is in my partners name. The house is his.

He has no idea. He gives me an “allowance” once a month and he thinks I live on that. He will leave me if he finds out, Iv already had bailiffs to the house. My mental health has been awful the last few years and my psychiatrist is fully aware of my spending problem.

I stopped claiming tax credits last month as I started a part time job. I earn £300 a month.

I had a letter today saying that they have linked my partner to his house. They want a telephone interview next week but also all bills etc that are in my name. Nothing is. Literally nothing apart from my bank account.

I’m so scared. The letter has asked for details from March 2019 - July 2019. Why only these dates? !!!!!! do I say. If I admit everything surely they will look further back? I honestly feel like this is the cherry on the top and I’m not sure can survive much longer. I have so many debt collectors after me. Partner refuses to help as it’s technically ex’s debts.

I’m so nervous about the interview. I don’t want to go to prison. I don’t even want to go court. I’m so scared.

If you would have been entitled to some tax credits ( Or Universal credit as you should have made a UC claim when he moved in) as a couple they may offset that against what you received on a single claim.

Also I should have mentioned if you are looking to make yourself bankrupt because of the debt you have accrued you will still be liable for the TC debt if it’s determined to be fraud.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/debt-solutions/bankruptcy-2/bankruptcy-explained/debts-that-bankruptcy-covers/

@Needhelp30

I was claiming Bwfore I moved in because I was a single mum.

My partner will leave me. He trusted me with a credit card last year for emergencies and I maxed it out, he’s now paying it back.

Can you get some advice from Christians against poverty or a similar company? If they can't help you they will point you in the right direction. It sounds like affording a solicitor is out of the question. Unfortunately we have experience of tax credits overpayments, although not our fault. The sooner it is dealt with the better, the fear of what can happen will be worse than dealing with the reality.

Sorry for your position but fraud is fraud what ever the reason, it is tax payers money. You should have been honest from the start. Be honest now, I doubt you will be sent to prison but will probably have to pay it all back.

I'm not being nasty, just a genuine question - Why didn't you get help with your spending addiction but instead carried on claiming even though you knew it was wrong/illegal?

Wow, it sounds like you really have broke your DPs trust OP. Can you understand how scared and concerned he is going to be? How hurtful being lied to is? And why he may not want to be dragged into criminal activity?

Good luck to you but it sounds like you desperately need a wake up call to think of someone else rather than yourself- maybe this is it

Because i haven’t got help really, just some mood stabilisers. I’m still addicted.

Come clean to your partner then contact citizens advice asap they will guide you.
It's never too late to do the right thing. And you'll feel better for it.

How much were you getting? Vrs how much should you have been getting?

If you truly believe that your current partner will leave you (and presumably take the child that is his) then you need to make plans for someone to take your other two children. Otherwise they may be returned to your abusive first husband or end up in foster care. You owe them safety since you can't provide stability.

I know it was fraud and wrong, but given that the courts will dole out punishment, now might not be the best time to be telling her how wrong she was. I'm sure the full reality of that has hit her quite squarely already. It's such a massive gamble to take committing fraud, but probably no more than any other addiction, it was lucrative. And yes, I know that it was criminal. Just maybe try to keep this from a head kicking?

What did you buy and where is it? Could you sell it to make some money towards the debts?

And yes, no more than any other criminal behaviour, the guys you need right now are solicitors. I think you should also come clean now to your partner as it may have implications for him too.

I will ask my sister to have the older two.

Op I can see you've posted this same post on another forum. The people on that forum are real experts on benefits and I would strongly advise you to listen to what they are telling you rather than posters on here who seem to suggesting much harsher repercussions. There are ways of sorting this out, do not panic.

@GeorgiaGirl52

If you truly believe that your current partner will leave you (and presumably take the child that is his) then you need to make plans for someone to take your other two children. Otherwise they may be returned to your abusive first husband or end up in foster care. You owe them safety since you can't provide stability.

Don't be dramatic, eh?

The OP has BPD and an allocated (presumably NHS?) psychiatrist. In the real world, the one without fantasy child-catchers, she's classified as a vulnerable adult.

Her best bet is to contact Adult Social Care and request assistance. They'll signpost her to advice providers as needed.

Unfortunately addiction is not a get out of jail free card for stealing which is what this is.

Be honest. That's all you can do.

Please ignore the dramatics OP.

You will not be going to prison so please do not panic. They will work out how much you have been overpaid and they will work out a payment plan for that based on your earnings.

Do you have a problem with gambling ? If so please contact Gamstop, they will help

What sort of amounts are we talking?
Did you claim child tax credit or working tax credit or both? It could be that the amount of fraud isn't too much if they recalculate it based on if he was actually on the claim too. You may have still been entitled to something even with his wages so it could offset against the total. But I suppose that depends on his salary.

Did you need the money during this time, did you have access to his money for your living costs? What did he think you were living off, other than the credit card?

Agree with previous person.
Phone them.mondsy and sort it out.
They will reduce your payments I would think.
I made a mistake and declared my income after tax and NI and didn't realise I was wrong.
It meant I got less every month.
Have a look at the calculator online and see how different your payments would be properly.

Did you need the money during this time, did you have access to his money for your living costs? What did he think you were living off, other than the credit card?

She said he gave her an allowance which he presumed was what she was living off.

He gave me an “allowance” once a month which is what he thought I was using. I would hide online orders/bank statements/bailif letters down the side of my bed.

He earns too much for us to
Claim tax credits.

Originally I was trying to save because of the shit storm my
Ex left me in, I was scared as I gave up My home and independence to move in with dp. But obviously I can’t save for shit and spent the lot.

Can I ask why you had bailiff letters? Were you not paying anything off the debts you already had and just adding to it? It sounds like you've a serious problem that needs to be addressed very quickly aside from the legal repercussions.

How did the bailiff know where to direct the letters if nobody knew you were living there? You said nothing is in your name there?

You seriously seriously need a solicitor.