Tax credits concentrix letter

[Caz2016]

Hello guys. I'm here for a bit of advice. Today I received a letter from concentrix about childcare payments investigation. They want all the details eg bank statements, receipts for period 15/16.
I've stopped claiming childcare in July 2013 and I phoned them and told them about it. I never realised I was receiving childcare element on my awards as I never check them properly. So i was surprised to see that letter. Anyway, I phoned up today to inform them that I have not been paying childcare for over 2 years and the guy told me they are reviewing my claim and will be in touch shortly. Will I be fined for this? They reckon I never phoned then to tell them about it. Thanks.

Did you phone them? Didn't you check your end of year summary?

Sorry, posted too soon. How did you not notice?

I honestly haven't noticed anything about a childcare until I got this letter today. Everytime I receive the notice I just read the last page of it. I must of missed it or read it wrong. I have phoned them today and I have to wait for them to review it that is all they said.

Did you notify then that you had stopped childcare?

Yeah I phoned them in July 2013 because that's when my son stopped going to the nursery. Yet apparently I never told them, they have no record of it. So I don't know whether they will fine me for it or not, I'm sure I'll have to pay it back as I spoke to a friend earlier but I don't quite know how all this works.

I think you should prepare to get less tax credits while they claw back the overpayment tbh. It doesn't sound like you have any firm evidence of telling them, or then checking the claim to see if they'd changed it.

If they come back to me with major overpayment I will tell them to take it all of my award for tax credits so I won't receive them for a while. But if they can't do that I will just have to pay it off. Unfortunately I have no evidence, as it was over the phone. From now on I will start sending them letters and make copies haha.

Tax credits can take back 50% of your weekly payments now if you earn over 20k until overpayments are repaid to them.

The thing is, every time your record is accessed, it can be traced. Although the advisor should have made a note of your call, and it's virtually unheard of that they don't do that. Even if no notes were made they can see if your record was accessed. So if you're definite you rung, it will look better, but at the renewal time you've accepted that the facts were correct. This won't go in your favour.

That sounds like a plan caz. Definitely a good idea to write stuff down/ keep copies

I know and I take full responsibility for not checking my awards properly. But from now on I am recording everything I send them and the phone calls too.