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Original poster

tax credits confusion

9 replies

pooh2 · 03/04/2014 07:24

Hello, have just joined and was wondering if anyone could help please... getting desperate! Partner and I are applying for child tax credits as since I have been on maternity leave and had 2nd child we are now eligible. However, the form is asking for our incomes from 2012 - 2013, when we weren't eligible. The person I spoke to at HMRC said that we will have our claim turned down, but then can update with a change in circumstances, in order to claim. This seems very long-winded! Has anyone else experienced this? Many thanks!

OP posts:

Rockchick1984 · 03/04/2014 08:05

Yup, that's how it's always done. Daft way for them to do it, but totally normal :)

RedHelenB · 03/04/2014 10:05

Next week will be the new tax year so they will wabt to know income from April 2013 - 2014 so that should make it alrignt

DingbatsFur · 08/04/2014 21:35

Don't do it! Tax credits are seriously more trouble than they are worth.

Original poster

pooh2 · 09/04/2014 00:07

Thanks for your messages! It is horribly confusing :/ but at least we know we aren't alone! @Dingbatsfur - what makes you say more trouble than they are worth? Eek! Thank you!

OP posts:

sleepyhead · 09/04/2014 00:25

Yes. We had to do this. Had claim turned down based on 12/13 and then had to phone and give estimated figures for this year.

Dh has just returned to work after paternity leave so I have to phone them again to report our change of circumstances again as otherwise they'll pay us too much. We've got childcare costs to take into account now which will make a difference too. Makes my head hurt a bit and I just know it's going to get screwed up somehow and end up with us having a huge bill.

If you've got nice, straightforward finances though then it's ok. Dh gets a basic hourly rate and sales related bonuses so god knows what he'll actually earn this year.

Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme · 09/04/2014 00:56

They're a pain in the arse because if they get it wrong you have to pay it all back. Doesn't matter that it wasn't your mistake, you will have to pay back anything you're not entitled to. My cousin suddenly found herself with a £3,000 bill to pay back. And no they are not joking. And yes they would like it now please. And yes they often get it wrong to start with so make sure you check the figures yourself.

DingbatsFur · 09/04/2014 17:00

Yup, i second ILoveMyDog. We were picked up by their compliance department. Their mistake, HUGE pain in the arse for us. Guy in compliance admitted that there were some calculations that even after 11 years he had no idea what they did. If you can avoid tax credits at all stay away.

Ruby1080 · 09/04/2014 20:33

This reply has been deleted

The OP has privacy concerns about this post, so we've agreed to take it down.

morethanpotatoprints · 09/04/2014 20:41

We have had tax credits in one form or another since they first began. even as self employed and providing estimates we haven't had any serious problems. We have even had several large over payments due to our estimates, thousands in some cases. It wasn't a problem they just took it off the next reward and the one after that if need be.
They are only allowed to take 40% of the over payment at the most from each monthly payment. If this means you can't meet essential living costs they will reduce it further.

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