Tax credit overpayments - where do I start..

[NeverLearnedLessons]

I was meant to telephone CTC back beginning of August. I had just had my 2nd DC but have suffered PND which has left me ignoring lots of things.

My circumstances have changed about three times - small payrises for DP and I (£70/£40); another DC; DC1 dropping days in nursery when I went onto mat leave. Also omitted to declare Salary Sacrifice scheme when first put in claim (had no idea you were supposed to) so I know I am completely in the shit - have been burrying my head further and I just don't know where to start as my maths is appalling.

I have been adding info into Excel for two weeks but when it comes to working out what I should be calculating I am getting more and more stressed and starting to loose sleep. I am worried that I am going to be done for fraud or go to jail if I don't get this sorted and just wish it was six months ago :( but everytime I attack it results in tears. I also just cannot work out what to put into the tax calculators. I just want to be able to phone up with the data and it to be sorted and for me to start paying it back - without being in any trouble.

I have looked all over the web and just cannot work out what I need to tell them. I wrote down a lot of scibbles which make no sense whatever when on the phone to them and I am just too scared to phone and say the wrong thing.

Please help.

Phone and them, hopefully someone will talk you through it all gently. They will ask the questions they need to, you can always phone back if you don't have the info. Do it asap so you can stop worrying.

Just call them. DH and I had our circumstances change constantly while we were on TC, he would always just call them, tell them the new circumstances, then they would go off and recalculate things and send us a new award letter. It's not for you to do the calculations (although it's good to double-check everything when they send you the award letter). it's really complicated and it's their job.

The main problem is not keeping them updated but just be apologetic and honest about that. Tell them about the PND have you been treated for it? Say you can send a doctor's note if necessary. Emphasise that you know things are a mess and you are of course willing to pay back anything you should not have received.

Meanwhile -- why isn't your DP ringing them? This all sounds very stressful for you. Why isn't he stepping up?

Try not to worry. It will be okay.

Agree just ring them. They really aren't as scary now as they used to be. And if you have been over paid then you can pay it back in small installments.

Would it help to write and post a letter to them. So you can say what you have in your post.

1. You are pretty sure you owe them money due to changes in circumstances.

1. You are sorry that you haven't informed them sooner, due to PND.

1. Here are the relevant three changes and the dates they occurred.

1. You would be grateful if they could recalculate your new award and let you know how things can be rectified.

Send the letter recorded delivery and you'll be sure they received it. They will send you a letter/phone call when they have sorted out the calculations.

Thank you so much everyone. I cannot tell you how much this means. I haven't spoken to anyone about this and it's become such a mess and stress for me. I didn't go to docs for PND as I am BFing and also didn't want to admit defeat which is completely stupid I know. Not out of the woods so maybe I should.

Honestly thank you and I will ring them when I get the baby down to sleep.

excellent idea Babies, will avoid any confusion over the phone too if it's all written down and there's anything that may need explaining. Let them do all the calculations.

It will be okay, really

Just be honest, apologetic and willing to work things out. It might not even be as bad as you think! And if it is, it will still be okay. They're not going to send bailiffs to your door, you'll just have to repay over time.

They make mistakes all the time too! We had to call them four times to STOP paying us when we left the UK. They're just human beings like we are.

Good luck! Let us know what happens!