A letter from Concentrix oh behalf of HM REVENUE

[Howes68]

Hello please help if you can , I am worried sick , I got a letter from the above , the letter states We need to talk to you about whether you are living with a partner , I claim tax credit as a single person , they are saying that they have evidence that there may be another ault living with me , I do have a bf whom stays 3 days a week , they wish me to call , and are asking in the letter for Bills, tent from 06 April 2014 to Jan 2015 , scared they are going to horrible on the phone not sure what to make if it , feel sick , any tips or help would be great thank you

Today I received a reply from Concentrix saying that my award is not going to change. However, as Redbone3 says, above, this appears to refer to the period up until 5 April 2015.

None of my paperwork was returned with their letter.

For info, I originally sent off my details to them on 9th February and their reply to me is dated 19th February 2015, and received today (26th). This is the first contact I've had from them since I sent off my paperwork.

It's a simple letter from Concentrix that just says:

"Dear....

We have completed our check on your tax credits award to 5 April 2015 [subject header]

Thank you for your reply to our letter of 28 Jan 2015.

I have reviewed the information you gave us and do not need to amend your award.

If you have an advisor acting for you, please show them this letter."

Then there's a parpagraph about Concentrix and HMRC and how you can find out more information.

The letter has no sender's name, just the words..

"Yours sincerely

Concentrix"

Swlady01
My said the same as yours I had to sign for my info u sent them today and also had another letter back saying the same as yours no name nothing .. I'm happy got letter back saying no change to tax credits but like I said do we have to goes threw all this again after April ??? If so the worry and stress we have will never ago away they have there proof that prove we're doing nothing wrong so hopefully in April we wo'nt

They do spot checks at any time during tax years or new claims but does not mean you will get one every tax year. So i wouldnt stress over it. They only usual contract u wen something flags up on their stystem on your current tax credit claim like a older child who reached an adult age or someones tries to get credit from credit card or loan using your address & they are not declared on your tax credit claim or they get a tip off that snother Adult is living at your address.

They also dont have the power to check ours or the other person banks thats why they ask us to send are bank statements.

I've heard nothing back yet since last week since receiving the letter saying they'd let me know soon . I'm getting a bit worried ! Scared my payments won't go in on Monday . I've sent all info. Ive got no bills /bank statements etc in anybody's name but mine . Lease is in my name. ! Surely this is enough for them to be satisfied , , there's not even a hint of anybody else's name on anything I sent . But seeing how the way they handle things and how many errors they do im so worried that they can change or stop my payments just like that . They surely have to prove you are guilty first before they take such action .

Kay69
I sent the same as u and it came back today as ok ; ) it's really worrying you find yourself waiting for the postman for that brown letter ... You will be fine if it does'nt come call and ask for a update

Has anybody actaully had payments stopped ?? If so was a letter sent out ? Were you notified why ? Just curious to see if they really are stopping payments . And what was their answer ?

Katy69
They will only stop payments if you do not send what they've asked for in time or they will ring you & tell u if they wish to investigate it further so you'd find out if you get that call. I rang them today to find out myself.

I've had a letter from these people today.
They want all my childcare payments detailed for the last year. I'm not hiding anything but collecting all the info is a total ball ache
Does this mean they think I'm claiming more than I should for childcare?
I agree, letter makes you feel guilty even when you're not covering anything up

I think what happens is we have to renew our claims at some point after April and July 31st,they send our renewal forms that we have to fill in and send back. When I first got my letter I thought I was the only one but clearly this isn't the case. I don't think that payments are stopped without you being notified. Starting to dislike the postman now poor man! Still not heard anything from tax credits or anyone else so have been re-sending emails,I think the stress and worry about this is spurring me on,there's so many of us dreading getting that brown letter.

Can anyone tell me if I block out all my other payments on my bank statement other than childcare?
Why should they see what I spend money on?

I've had a letter from them today as well Mozzchops, asking for details of all childcare payments for the last year. Like you, I can get the information, but it's a complete nuisance having to do so. The information they quote in the letter is out of date anyway. They quote amount X (from last July's annual declaration), whereas I've written to Tax Credits twice since then, changing the childcare amount to Y (last Sept) and later Z (this January).

I feel completely harassed by the tax credits people (HMRC or outsourced). It's only just over a year ago that I had to send them everything including my divorce petition as they didn't believe I was separated. They fined me £600 I think it was, for being "negligent" in my application. I got it back several months later after starting the appeals process, sending them pages and pages of evidence, requesting transcripts of conversations with the Tax Credits Helpline using the Data Protection Act, etc. As you can imagine, this was the last thing I needed at a time when my marriage had fallen apart and I was trying to keep my head above water at work, as well as dealing with upset kids.

If there are any media types reading this - has anyone researched the mental health impact of all this? I'm a pretty tough cookie and it nearly sent me under. I dread to think what it might have done to people more vulnerable than me.

I didn't block any out mozzchops, they told me not to as they're likely to ask for them again if you do. Basically They need to see if you're getting more/less money than you declare. It's the only way to prove it.

But they're not asking about my earnings just childcare, they haven't asked for any proof of income

I didn't send bank statements. I was accused of having a partner who when I phoned them turned out to be my Landlord. They wanted everything listed on the letter but I just sent my tenancy agreement and my rent book. Also gave them my landlords home address. I sent my council tax letter as that states I get a single occupancy discount but absolutely nothing else as none of it proves anything one way or the other. They should have checked before they sent me their threatening letter if he lived anywhere else first, that's what HMRC are supposed to do. Concentrix are a joke. I haven't heard anything yet but my documents only arrived with them on the 20th Feb. Tax credits went in this week as usual. Will post again when I do hear anything.

I've had a letter from Concentrix too. But it's about a query on my childcare costs. I've reviewed them and I have got the figures wrong. I think I didn't pro-rata them. I feel sick and have been panicking all night. Can someone tell me what is likely to happen? Thanks. Haven't been able to eat tonight and have got an upset stomach. The letter talks about possible prosecution but this was a genuine error.

They're checking my whole claim..hours & income so that's why I couldnt. You could block it out & if they have a problem with it they'll get in touch.

Karmaone .they will just deduct from you what was overpaid it happened to me a few years ago .

I think they can only take a small percentage back?

Anyone heard anything positive yet?,I've sent several emails to various people,and re-sent them but nothing back yet,I checked my inbox this morning and nothing has bounced back,not sure weather to sit tight or re-send again. Another virtually sleepless night again and it's only been 16 days since they signed for my letter,this is on my mind constantly it's awful feeling like this. I always try and be positive but its wearing thin now. Has anyone else been in touch with anyone that might be able to support us and heard something back?

I'm re-posting this message as I accidentally added it to an older thread!

Hi, I've just received a dreaded Concentrix letter this morning. I've spoken to a single mum friend of mine and she's confirmed that almost all the single Mums she knows have had the same over the last couple of weeks.

Apparently it's an American company who have been outsourced from HMRC to run checks and by all accounts they're right royally stuffing it up. Check out this press link...

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/people-in-need-at-risk-of-losing-tax-credits-after-being-wrongly-accused-of-cheating-10060745.html

My letter states that my childcare costs may be wrong. This has me worried as my costs are so random. This year has been my first on tax credits (started in June) and so it's very much a learning curve for me. When I first applied I was told to work out my 'average' childcare costs over the year, divide it by 52 and then add this calculation as a weekly amount to my claim (£32 per week for 2 children). I believed (from conversations with friends) that when it was time for my renewal, any change in circumstance may mean my award is adjusted and reduced to pay back overpayments or increased if childcare costs are higher - a bit like my tax code. I know my costs have sometimes been less if a friend has offered to babysit or a family member has visited during half-term. My changing work shifts have also meant that I've had to use unregistered childminders (who are staff from the school) to cover evenings or weekends when nurseries are closed. My costs increased significantly this month as my friend who usually picks up the kids has now had her baby and so I'll now need to use more after school club.

They're asking for proof of childcare which I'm gathering in the form of bills and bank statements etc. I'm more worried as the year isn't out yet for me and I still have chunks of childcare to pay for in the coming months over the holidays etc. There are threats of penalties which seem very high (up to £1000 for incorrect information and up to £60 per day for every day the claim wasn't adjusted). I always understood that I need to inform HMRC if my costs change for 10 weeks in a row which they never have. My knee-jerk reaction is to put the kids with an expensive nanny over the next few weekends to make up the average cost I would have had for the remainder of the year. I have never knowingly taken tax credits fraudulently and feel like the information I was given last year to help with my calculation has left me in a position of jeopardy. I think the entire amount of childcare not yet used isn't huge, but it's enough to make me worry that I have to pay this back now rather than weekly during my next claim year when it may be adjusted. Plus, it's all very worrying as I really can't afford to pay massive penalties as well.

Does anyone else have any advice if they've used average amounts over the year? Is there anyone I should speak to before I contact Concentrix with this query? They might see pound signs and the opportunity to hit their sales target for the day if I speak to them first. :-(

Finally - I had a letter from Concentrix today stating that they "have completed our check on your tax credits" and "do not need to amend your award. Almost 5 weeks of needless worry for which of course there is no apology. Although I got the letter today (27) it was dated the 17th. I knew deep down that I had done nothing wrong and only live with my parents but I had visions of having to go to tribunals to have it proved. Like many here I both look for and dreaded the arrival of the postman. Like Limes61, I didn't send my bank statements, judging they were useless in proving only my parents live here. Instead I sent a photocopy of the electoral list and one of my birth certificate - there was no way I would risk the original of the latter! It maddens me that so many of us are being put through this needless worry, having to prove a negative. I'm going to use the £50 HMRC sent me on something very relaxing. But if they have to send that to everyone who complains about the tone of the letter then using Concentrix is not going to save them a penny. Add that to the huge number of us investigated for no good reason and it will not be a saving at all. Good luck to everyone else being kept on tenterhooks. When you are found "innocent" do complain to HMRC and Concentrix and ask for any costs you occurred to be refunded.

I've not heard anything back waiting three weeks . Concentrix are not even fraud investigators ! fraud investigators can actually get copies of bank staements without your knowledge . This whole thing has been a shambles. All completely wrong. Wrong worded letter and incorrect information required for each case. Curious to see if anybody has had any bad news back even though innocent. What would the next step be to prove your innocence
At least people are getting answers now. !

Ccbb1 thanks for replying. I'm worried sick about it. I have made a mistake. My childcare was up and down and I probably didn't keep on top of it as I should have. I always update changes as needed and have never had a problem before with it. I feel like I expect do everything something terrible. Did you have to pay a penal3? Did you just get the figures wrong too?

No penalty .they just deducted over payment bit by bit